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Learn which startups Origin Ventures invests in, what size check sizes they write, and who their partners are (e.g. Brent Hill).
Origin Ventures operates as an early-stage venture capital firm investing in technology infrastructure, software platforms, applications, and digital marketplaces. The firm supports nascent companies developing foundational innovations. They partner with entrepreneurs creating essential technology solutions across various sectors, focusing on impactful enterprises.
Steve Miller and Bruce Barron co-founded Origin Ventures, launching their first fund in September 1999. Their journey began from a shared interest in investing personal capital into emerging technology startups. This initial insight into the burgeoning tech ecosystem led them to formally establish the firm, providing early financial and strategic backing.
Origin Ventures primarily serves ambitious founders and early-stage technology companies, offering capital and strategic expertise. The firm’s long-term vision is to guide humanity into the "fifth economic era," focused on the transformative Artificial Intelligence Economy. They aim to foster and scale companies defining this evolving technological landscape.
Key people at Origin Ventures.
Key people at Origin Ventures.
# Origin Ventures: Early-Stage Venture Capital in the AI Economy
Origin Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm founded in 1999 that invests in seed and Series A technology companies building software, infrastructure, and marketplace solutions[1]. The firm manages approximately $145 million in assets under management across four venture funds and operates from offices in Chicago and Salt Lake City, with additional investor presence in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington DC[1][2].
The firm's investment philosophy centers on identifying bold founders leading the transition into the Artificial Intelligence Economy—a paradigm where software, automation, and intelligence drive productivity and reshape industries[2]. Rather than chasing trends, Origin Ventures positions itself as an early believer in transformative technology that improves human lives. The firm focuses on infrastructure, software applications, services, and marketplaces that leverage AI to enhance productivity and automation across sectors including energy management, logistics, healthcare, and workforce solutions[2].
Origin Ventures was established in 1999, giving it over 25 years of experience leading seed and Series A funding rounds[2]. The firm was built by former entrepreneurs, operators, and engineers who collectively bring more than 75 years of venture investing experience to their decision-making[1]. This operator-first DNA distinguishes the firm from traditional venture capital shops staffed primarily by finance professionals.
The firm's evolution reflects a deliberate shift toward AI-driven innovation. While Origin Ventures began as a generalist early-stage investor, its thesis has crystallized around the conviction that artificial intelligence represents the defining economic force of the next era. This positioning allows the firm to deploy capital strategically into companies solving real problems through intelligent automation rather than chasing speculative AI hype.
The entire partnership consists of former founders and operators rather than career venture capitalists. This background enables the firm to provide hands-on operational support beyond capital deployment—mentoring on scaling challenges, recruiting, and go-to-market strategy that founders at seed and Series A stages desperately need[2].
Origin Ventures built proprietary software to ingest multiple data feeds, filter opportunities against thematic investment criteria, and apply custom scoring systems to identify high-quality deals[5]. This approach allows the firm to discover opportunities that traditional networking might miss while maintaining a systematic, repeatable investment process.
With investors distributed across six major metropolitan areas, Origin Ventures operates as a truly national firm rather than a coastal concentration. This geographic diversity provides portfolio companies with access to talent, customers, and operational expertise across multiple regions[2].
The firm explicitly positions itself as committed to building lasting businesses rather than optimizing for quick exits. This patient capital approach is particularly valuable for founders building infrastructure and marketplace businesses that require time to achieve network effects and scale[2].
Origin Ventures' portfolio includes companies like Tovala (smart ovens and meal subscriptions), Fountain (hourly worker hiring and onboarding), Veho (last-mile delivery), Clearjet (ecommerce delivery infrastructure), Voze (AI for field sales), Medmo (AI-powered medical imaging), and Torus (energy storage systems)[2]. This diverse set of exits and growth-stage companies demonstrates the firm's ability to identify and support winners across multiple verticals.
Origin Ventures sits at the intersection of two powerful trends: the maturation of early-stage venture capital as a discipline and the emergence of AI as a foundational technology reshaping every industry.
The firm's emphasis on AI-driven productivity reflects a market reality that has crystallized since 2023. Rather than betting on speculative AI applications, Origin Ventures targets companies using machine learning and automation to solve concrete operational problems—from medical imaging workflows to field sales efficiency to energy management. This pragmatic approach positions portfolio companies to benefit from enterprise adoption cycles that are accelerating as organizations move beyond AI pilots to production deployments.
Additionally, Origin Ventures' investment in building proprietary data infrastructure and deal-sourcing software reflects a broader shift in venture capital toward operational efficiency and data-driven decision-making. As the firm noted in its analysis of the venture capital industry, traditional VC advantages are eroding as deal flow democratizes and information becomes more accessible. Firms that build unique analytical capabilities and provide genuine operational value will survive and thrive in this environment[5].
The firm's geographic distribution also positions it to capture opportunities in underserved startup ecosystems. While coastal venture capital remains concentrated in San Francisco and New York, Origin Ventures' presence in Salt Lake City, Chicago, and other secondary markets allows it to identify strong founders and companies before they migrate to traditional VC hubs.
Origin Ventures is well-positioned for the next phase of AI adoption. The firm's thesis—that AI will drive the next economic era through productivity and automation—aligns with enterprise spending patterns and founder ambitions. As companies move from AI experimentation to production deployment, the infrastructure, software, and marketplace solutions in Origin's portfolio should benefit from accelerating adoption.
The firm's competitive advantage lies not in capital availability (many firms have that) but in operational expertise and systematic deal sourcing. In a market where information asymmetries are shrinking, the ability to identify exceptional founders early and help them scale operationally becomes the true differentiator. Origin Ventures' operator-first culture and proprietary data infrastructure position it to maintain this edge.
Looking ahead, expect Origin Ventures to continue deepening its focus on AI-driven productivity across verticals while maintaining its commitment to seed and Series A investing. The firm's patient capital approach and geographic diversity should allow it to capture opportunities in emerging AI applications before they become crowded with later-stage capital. As the venture capital industry itself faces disruption from data platforms and crowdfunding, Origin Ventures' early investment in proprietary technology and its emphasis on value-add partnership suggest the firm understands that the future belongs to VCs that operate like the best founders they back—with discipline, data, and deep operational commitment.
