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§ Investor Profile
Co-Founder and Partner at Obvious Ventures, Chairman of Medium, focused on purpose-driven venture capital for sustainable systems.
Ev Williams is a renowned tech entrepreneur and venture capitalist, best known as a co-founder of Twitter and the founder of Medium. He is also a founding Partner at Obvious Ventures, an investment firm focused on 'world positive' companies.
As a Partner at Obvious Ventures, Ev Williams invests in 'world positive' companies that aim to solve global challenges. His focus areas include sustainable solutions in sectors like the future of work, clean energy, sustainable food systems, health, and innovative consumer internet platforms.
Ev Williams works as a founding Partner at Obvious Ventures, a venture capital firm. He is also the founder of Medium, a popular online publishing platform.
Ev Williams is the San Francisco-based Co-Founder and Partner at Obvious Ventures and Chairman of Medium. He previously co-founded Pyra Labs, the creator of Blogger that was acquired by Google in 2003, and subsequently co-founded Twitter alongside Jack Dorsey, where he served as CEO from 2008 to 2010 and remained on the board until 2019. Williams also founded the digital publishing platform Medium, serving as its CEO until 2022, and recently co-founded the private social network Mozi, which raised $6 million in 2024. Through Obvious Ventures, which manages over $1 billion in assets, he directs early-stage capital toward purpose-driven startups, backing prominent companies like Beyond Meat and Blue Bottle Coffee. With an estimated net worth of $2 billion, his current focus centers on leveraging his extensive consumer internet expertise to fund sustainable, health-oriented, and societal-building technology ventures.
Ev Williams stands as a pivotal figure in the technology and venture capital landscape, currently serving as a founding Partner at Obvious Ventures. This venture capital firm is distinguished by its commitment to investing in 'world positive' companies, a philosophy that aligns perfectly with Williams' long-standing dedication to creating impactful and sustainable solutions through technology. At Obvious Ventures, he plays a crucial role in identifying and nurturing early-stage companies poised to make a significant positive difference in the world.
Williams' investment focus at Obvious Ventures spans a wide array of sectors, all united by the common thread of sustainability and positive global impact. This includes areas such as the future of work, sustainable food systems, clean energy, health and wellness, and innovative consumer internet platforms. His deep understanding of consumer behavior and platform development, honed over decades, provides invaluable insight into the potential of emerging technologies and business models. He seeks out entrepreneurs who are not only building scalable businesses but are also deeply committed to solving pressing societal and environmental problems.
Before co-founding Obvious Ventures, Ev Williams built an illustrious career as one of Silicon Valley's most influential entrepreneurs. He is perhaps best known as a co-founder of Twitter, the microblogging platform that revolutionized communication and information sharing globally. Prior to Twitter, Williams co-founded Blogger, one of the earliest and most popular weblog publishing systems, which was later acquired by Google. His entrepreneurial journey also includes Odeo, a podcasting company, and most notably, Medium, a publishing platform designed to foster high-quality content and thoughtful discourse. These ventures underscore his consistent drive to create platforms that empower individuals and facilitate the exchange of ideas.
His extensive background as a founder provides him with a unique perspective as an investor. He understands the challenges and triumphs of building a company from the ground up, making him a highly empathetic and strategic partner for the startups in Obvious Ventures' portfolio. Williams' involvement goes beyond capital; he offers mentorship, strategic guidance, and access to his vast network, helping founders navigate the complexities of growth and market penetration. His legacy of innovation and his forward-thinking approach continue to shape the future of technology and impact investing through his work at Obvious Ventures.
