Oregon’s largest and most active venture capital fund is seeking a partner-track senior associate to scout, research, select, and advise portfolio companies. The sr. associate will lead due diligence for prospective investments and contribute to all aspects of the fund, including strategy, marketing, fund raising, operations, investment selection, company advising, and M&A. OVF is committed to providing a supportive, learning-intensive environment, including valuable opportunities for professional growth and advancement.
Primary Roles:
- Lead collaborative due diligence efforts involving experts in our fund, community, and nationally to determine if startups meet our criteria for investment. Diligence includes independent research and analysis on a startup’s market, competition, business model, product/innovation, management team, and potential acquirers and investment return.
- Research technology, market, and investing benchmarks and trends; present findings, insights, and recommendations; organize workshops with thought-leaders for the benefit of the fund’s entrepreneurs and investors; lead projects and initiatives that advance the mission and goals of the fund.
Secondary Role:
- Collaborate with fund investors and community partners to identify and support startups and growth companies who may be candidates for venture funding. Post-pandemic, this will involve representing the fund at evening and weekend events.
Minimum Qualifications:
- 5-8 yrs of work experience
- A demonstrated passion for entrepreneurship, innovation, and investing
- A connector and consummate networker who relates well with both entrepreneurs and investors
- Strong organizational, social, communication, technical, research, and analytic skills
- Highly collaborative, outgoing, enthusiastic, and inquisitive
- Tremendous ambition, follow-through, and attention to detail.
Relevant Backgrounds: Ideally, but not limited to:
- Software-centric startup or growth company – eg, engineering or product management
- Venture capital, private equity, investment banking.
Compensation: Market-rate, based on experience.
About the Oregon Venture Fund:
Based in Portland, OVF collaborates closely with its investors to provide capital and support for building a new generation of world-class growth companies in Oregon and SW Washington. OVF has developed a unique and powerful collaborative model, where 180 business and technology leaders and exited entrepreneurs are invited to annually invest in the fund and assist with advising startups pre- and post-investment. OregonVentureFund.com
Roughly 2/3 of investments are in software-centric businesses and 1/3 spread across life science, medical devices, healthcare technologies, consumer products & services, advanced materials, and other sectors. 31% of the 66 companies backed by OVF were founded by a female and 23% by a person of color. Whether investing in pre-revenue startups – which comprise half of the fund’s investments – or growth-stage businesses, OVF is often the lead investor and frequently partners with national VCs. With top-decile investment performance since its founding (source: Pitchbook), OVF is well-positioned to grow its AUM from over $100 million today to $1 billion by 2030.
When hiring, we look for exceptional talent, ambition, and humility. We believe diverse backgrounds and experiences contribute to a stronger management team, better decisions, and top performance. Join us in creating an enduring and broadly impactful organization that all Oregonians can be proud of.
For More Information: Please contact Liz Michiels at Cascade Advisors LizM@CascadeAdv.com
