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Evan Williams is the Co-founder and Partner at Obvious Ventures and Chairman of the Board at Medium, based in the San Francisco Bay Area. After attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, he served as the Chief Executive Officer of Twitter, a company he co-founded following the Google acquisition of his earlier venture, Pyra Labs, which created Blogger. Williams led Medium as its CEO until July 2022, when he transitioned the leadership role to Tony Stubblebine, and he officially stepped down from the Twitter board of directors in February 2019. At Obvious Ventures, he currently manages over $1 billion in assets across multiple funds, targeting early-stage investments in sustainable systems and healthy living. His professional background centers on scaling consumer internet platforms, advancing digital media publishing, and directing venture capital toward world-positive technology enterprises.
Evan Williams is a name synonymous with pioneering internet platforms, having co-founded groundbreaking companies like Blogger, Twitter, and Medium. Beyond his indelible mark on social media and publishing, Williams has transitioned into a prominent figure in the venture capital world as a co-founder and General Partner at Obvious Ventures. This firm stands out for its distinctive investment philosophy, focusing exclusively on 'world-positive' companies that aim to solve significant global challenges while generating substantial financial returns.
At Obvious Ventures, Evan Williams plays a pivotal role in identifying and nurturing early-stage startups that align with the firm's core mission. His investment focus areas are broad yet deeply interconnected by the theme of sustainability and positive impact. Obvious Ventures actively seeks companies innovating in sustainable systems, healthy living, people power, and the future of work. This includes sectors such as climate technology, food technology, education technology, and solutions promoting a circular economy. Williams and his team believe that the most impactful and profitable businesses of the future will be those that address critical environmental and social needs.
Williams' career background provides a unique lens through which he evaluates potential investments. His journey began with Pyra Labs, where he created Blogger, one of the first widely adopted web publishing tools, later acquired by Google. He then co-founded Odeo, which famously pivoted to become Twitter, revolutionizing real-time communication. Following his tenure at Twitter, he launched Medium, a platform designed for quality long-form content. These experiences have endowed him with an unparalleled understanding of technology trends, user behavior, and the challenges of scaling disruptive platforms. This deep operational expertise is invaluable to the founders he backs at Obvious Ventures.
Obvious Ventures has built an impressive portfolio under Williams' guidance, featuring companies that exemplify their 'world-positive' ethos. Notable investments include Beyond Meat, a leader in plant-based protein revolutionizing the food industry; Arcadia, which provides clean energy solutions to consumers; and Olly, a wellness brand focused on nutritional supplements. Other impactful ventures include Miyoko's Kitchen, a pioneer in plant-based dairy, and Lilu, developing innovative solutions for new mothers. These investments underscore Williams' commitment to supporting entrepreneurs who are not just building businesses, but also shaping a better future. Through Obvious Ventures, Evan Williams continues to leverage his visionary leadership and investment acumen to drive innovation that benefits both society and the economy.
Evan Williams is a highly influential entrepreneur and investor, best known as the co-founder of Blogger, Twitter, and Medium. He is also a co-founder and General Partner at Obvious Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on investing in 'world-positive' companies that drive positive social and environmental impact.
Through Obvious Ventures, Evan Williams invests in early-stage companies that offer sustainable solutions across various sectors. His investment focus includes climate technology, food technology, healthy living, the future of work, and other areas that combine strong financial returns with significant positive impact.
Evan Williams primarily works as a General Partner and co-founder at Obvious Ventures, a venture capital firm. Prior to his work in venture capital, he co-founded and led major internet companies including Blogger, Twitter, and Medium.
