OpenView Partners
UnclaimedAt a Glance
- Check Size
- $5M – $50M
- Stage
- Series A, Series B+
- AUM
- $2B+
- Sectors
- Enterprise, SaaS, DevTools
- Founded
- 2006
- HQ
- Boston, MA
About OpenView Partners
OpenView Partners was founded in 2006 by Scott Maxwell and has established itself as the leading expansion-stage venture firm focused exclusively on B2B software companies demonstrating product-led growth. The firm pioneered the concept of product-led growth (PLG) in enterprise software, investing in companies where the product itself drives customer acquisition, expansion, and retention. OpenView's investment approach targets companies that have achieved initial product-market fit and are ready to scale from early revenue to significant growth milestones. The firm has backed numerous category-defining companies including Calendly, Datadog, MongoDB, and Notion. Beyond capital, OpenView provides extensive operational support through their platform team, offering expertise in PLG methodologies, go-to-market strategies, and scaling operations. The firm publishes extensive research and thought leadership on product-led growth, hosting the annual BUILD conference and maintaining resources that have become industry standards. What makes OpenView distinctive is their singular focus on PLG B2B software companies and their deep operational expertise in helping companies optimize their product-led go-to-market motions. Their portfolio companies benefit from a network effect of PLG practitioners and proven playbooks for scaling efficiently.
Investment Thesis
“Backs product-led growth software companies at the expansion stage with PLG expertise.”
Leadership Team
Scott Maxwell founded OpenView in 2006 and remains senior partner. The Fund VII Form D, filed in January 2022, names the investing partnership at its widest: Maxwell alongside Blake Bartlett, John Craven, Daniel Demmer, Sanjiv Kalevar, Rufus King, John McCullough, Devon McDonald and Richard Pelletier. Elizabeth Cain appeared on the Fund VI filing in 2019, and the Fund V filing in 2017 named Adam Marcus.
The firm's current site lists a narrower group: Maxwell as founder and senior partner, with partners Daniel Demmer, George Roberts, John McCullough, Vinnie McSweeney, Jessica Dowd and Devon McDonald, working from offices in Massachusetts, New York, Florida, Texas and Wisconsin. Beyond the investment team, OpenView has historically fielded a platform group dedicated to product-led growth methodology and go-to-market, and its published research and the annual BUILD conference have functioned as its primary sourcing channel.
Sector Focus
Investment Stage
Notable Portfolio Companies
Fund History
OpenView raised seven flagship funds from Boston between Scott Maxwell's 2006 founding and 2022, each paired with an affiliates vehicle for the firm's own people. SEC filings show OpenView Venture Partners III, L.P. reporting $99 million sold in December 2011. Fund IV followed in 2014. OpenView Venture Partners V, L.P. was organized in 2017, took its first sale that June against a $250 million target, and closed at $296.75 million by May 2018. Fund VI filed in November 2019 with a $450 million target. OpenView Venture Partners VII, L.P., organized in January 2022, carried an $800 million target and had reported $517.6 million sold by September 2022, making it the largest vehicle in firm history and roughly eight times the size of Fund III.
OpenView Affiliates Funds III through VII invest alongside each flagship. The mandate stayed narrow across all seven vintages: expansion-stage B2B software, underwritten through the product-led growth lens the firm popularised, with companies including Calendly, Expensify, PandaDoc and Intezer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What stage does OpenView Partners invest at?
OpenView Partners primarily invests at the Series A, Series B+ stages. This means they focus on companies that are scaling their go-to-market after proving product-market fit.
Where is OpenView Partners located?
OpenView Partners is headquartered in Boston, MA. Many of their portfolio companies are also based in this region, though they invest across geographies.
What sectors does OpenView Partners focus on?
OpenView Partners focuses on investments in Enterprise, SaaS, DevTools. Their portfolio reflects deep expertise and networks within these sectors.
What is OpenView Partners's typical check size?
OpenView Partners's typical investment check size ranges from $5M to $50M. Actual amounts may vary based on the stage, sector, and specific opportunity.
How much does OpenView Partners have under management?
OpenView Partners manages approximately $2B+ in assets under management (AUM) across their funds.
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