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Brian Norgard is an independent angel investor and startup advisor based in Los Angeles, California. He previously built Chill, a social application that reached over 30 million users, and became the youngest Vice President at News Corp at age 25 following the acquisition of his first company. After his startup Tappy, backed by Kleiner Perkins, was acquired by Tinder, he joined the company and served as Chief Product Officer until 2018. During his tenure, he architected monetization features including Tinder Gold and Boost, which drove over 200 million downloads and contributed to $11 billion in market value creation. As an active early-stage investor, his portfolio includes stakes in prominent technology companies such as SpaceX, Tesla, Notion, and AngelList. His current focus centers on deploying capital into consumer internet startups while advising early-stage founders on product design and monetization.
Brian Norgard stands as a prominent figure in the venture capital and technology landscape, currently serving as a General Partner at Animal Capital. At Animal Capital, Norgard plays a pivotal role in identifying and nurturing early-stage companies, with a keen focus on the rapidly evolving sectors of the creator economy, Web3, gaming, and consumer technology. His expertise is instrumental in guiding portfolio companies through critical growth phases, leveraging his deep understanding of product development and market dynamics.
Norgard's career trajectory is marked by significant entrepreneurial and leadership achievements. He is widely recognized as a co-founder of Vine, the groundbreaking short-form video platform that revolutionized social media and user-generated content. Following Vine's acquisition by Twitter, Norgard transitioned into a key leadership position at Twitter, where he served as Vice President of Product. In this role, he was responsible for overseeing product strategy and development for one of the world's most influential social platforms, contributing to its global expansion and feature innovation. Prior to Vine, Norgard also co-founded Tappy, a mobile messaging application that was also acquired by Twitter, further solidifying his reputation as a successful serial entrepreneur.
His investment philosophy at Animal Capital is deeply informed by his firsthand experience in building and scaling consumer products to massive audiences. Brian Norgard seeks out visionary founders who are pushing the boundaries in areas like decentralized applications, immersive gaming experiences, and tools that empower creators to monetize their content and communities more effectively. While specific portfolio companies are often confidential, Animal Capital's public focus areas suggest involvement with pioneering projects in the blockchain and digital asset space, as well as next-generation social and entertainment platforms.
Brian Norgard's unique blend of entrepreneurial success, product leadership at a global tech giant, and strategic venture capital insight positions him as a valuable partner for startups aiming to disrupt and innovate. His contributions continue to shape the future of technology, particularly within the dynamic realms of Web3 and the creator economy.
Brian Norgard is a distinguished venture capitalist and technology entrepreneur. He is a General Partner at Animal Capital, known for co-founding Vine and serving as the former VP of Product at Twitter.
Brian Norgard, through Animal Capital, primarily invests in companies within the creator economy, Web3, gaming, and consumer technology sectors. He focuses on innovative startups that are shaping the future of digital interaction and entertainment.
Brian Norgard works as a General Partner at Animal Capital, a venture capital firm. He also has a notable background working at Twitter as VP of Product and as a co-founder of Vine.