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A few months ago, I was at a post-wedding brunch (my first big event since getting vaccinated!), when a friend came scrambling in just as the event was winding down. She was late because she was finishing her taxes… an arduous process that involved 14 separate 1099s and a mountain of receipts.  This friend is a Creator. In the traditional sense of the word, she is a professional singer and ...

Venture capital is a team sport. A great team makes better decisions, wins more deals, and provides more resources to companies. Investing in startups is like whitewater rafting. A great team navigates rapids by playing different roles on the boat. There is a navigator, the paddlers, and the fearless souls in front surveying obstacles while getting drenched. Should the adventurers harness the current of the river at the right spot, ...

I am thrilled to join the Origin Ventures Team as the first hire in Utah, helping Brent Hill grow Origin’s presence in both Utah and the Western United States.  My path to Origin Ventures was nontraditional. I spent the first 6 years of my career as a social studies teacher in Houston, TX and East San Jose, CA. Teaching low-income communities forced me to confront the many issues my students ...

I initially approached the Origin Ventures team out of curiosity: I wanted to learn about venture investing and I was impressed with their portfolio, thesis, and values. I asked if I could volunteer my time in exchange for being a fly on the wall in their meetings and discussions. They agreed, and after a few weeks I was hooked. The fit was mutual, and, shortly thereafter, I joined the investing ...

The COVID-19 pandemic and its economic fallout drastically changed Americans’ attitudes and behavior at home and at work. Business and consumer practices have shifted substantially under COVID-19 as people and businesses adapt to a socially-distanced world. Origin Ventures attempted to gauge the impact of the pandemic and economic fallout on businesses and consumers and see which changes were likely to persist, and which would fall back to “business as usual.” ...

Transport accidents are the third-leading preventable cause of death in the United States, and they continue to climb. In 2019, there were 43,024 U.S. road fatalities – 11.5% of which involved trucks. The number of people who died in large truck crashes rose 27 percent from 2009 to 2013. Driving a car is one of the most dangerous activities Americans do regularly, and trucks are a large part of the ...

  We are pleased to announce Origin Ventures’ investment in Voxpopme, an enterprise software company that allows brands to capture video feedback to measure customer satisfaction and gather market research. Voxpopme enables brands to use the power of video – featuring full sight, sound, and motion – to better capture consumer sentiment in real-time. Origin Ventures led a $9M Series A financing. The company – whose name is derived from ...

In 2019, we celebrate our firm’s 20-year anniversary with 20 short storiesand lessons learned by investing over $150M in more than 70 companiesand the entrepreneurs behind their origin. These are their stories. Thank you, Mr. Muir Keep close to Nature's heart... and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.–John Muir John Muir (b. 1838 – d.1914) ...

In 2019, we celebrate our firm’s 20-year anniversary with 20 short storiesand lessons learned by investing over $150M in more than 70 companiesand the entrepreneurs behind their origin. These are their stories. We are very happy to announce three promotions at Origin Ventures:  Scott Stern to Vice President Prashant Shukla to Vice President Devon Leichtman to Director of Platform In 2016, Scott joined Origin Ventures as a Senior Associate and ...

The next time a budding musician searches “best violin teacher near me,” he or she may find a link to an app, not a teacher. Origin Ventures recently announced its participation in a $1.29M seed investment in Chicago-based startup Trala. Other investors include LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner, Techstars Ventures, and executives from Duolingo. The Techstars company has built an app that can teach anyone to play violin using Julliard-approved methodologies ...