At a Glance
Obvious Ventures was founded in 2014 by Ev Williams (co-founder of Twitter, Medium, and Blogger), James Joaquin, and Vishal Vasishth with a mission to back 'world-positive' companies that generate both financial returns and positive impact. The firm operates on the belief that the most successful companies of the future will be those solving humanity's biggest challenges while building sustainable businesses. Obvious typically invests from seed through Series B, with a focus on three core areas: planetary health (climate and sustainability), human health (digital health and wellness), and economic empowerment (financial inclusion and future of work). The firm's portfolio includes some of the most successful purpose-driven companies of the past decade, including plant-based meat company Beyond Meat, which went public in 2019, and home-buying platform Opendoor. Williams brings unique insights from his experience building massive consumer platforms, while the broader team combines operational expertise with deep networks across technology and impact investing. What distinguishes Obvious is its long-term view and willingness to back founders tackling complex, systemic problems that may take longer to solve but offer massive market opportunities.
“Backs founders building world-positive companies that combine profit with positive impact.”
Obvious Ventures primarily invests at the Seed, Series A, Series B+ stages. This means they focus on companies that are building their initial product and finding product-market fit.
Obvious Ventures is headquartered in San Francisco, CA. Many of their portfolio companies are also based in this region, though they invest across geographies.
Obvious Ventures focuses on investments in Digital Health, Climate, Consumer. Their portfolio reflects deep expertise and networks within these sectors.
Obvious Ventures's typical investment check size ranges from $1M to $20M. Actual amounts may vary based on the stage, sector, and specific opportunity.
Obvious Ventures manages approximately $800M+ in assets under management (AUM) across their funds.