In this episode Ed Barker interviews Jason Stoffer, general partner at Maveron, a Pacific Northwest-based consumer VC fund. Jason shares his unconventional journey into venture capital, Maveron's focus on consumer brands, and insights into building a consumer VC fund in Seattle. The discussion also covers current and emerging opportunities in sectors like EdTech, AI, wellness, and retail. Jason shares what he looks for in founders and how the changing media landscape affects consumer product reach. The episode concludes with Jason's thoughts on the trends in the VC market and the future of job markets in light of technological advancements.
00:00 Welcome, Jason
00:30 Journey into Venture Capital
01:13 Maveron's Investment Focus
22:02 Consumer VC in Seattle
28:16 EdTech and AI
31:28 The Future of Consumer Marketing
37:23 Portfolio Companies and Market Outlook
About Your Host
Ed Barker has enjoyed a weird and varied career. Ed is a Brit now resident in Seattle and has founded three startups, enjoyed a long career in corporate strategy, and most recently as a VC. He's now building a podcast production company, Studio 1878. Sound Investments is a modest attempt to shine some light on the fantastic work being done in the Pacific Northwest entrepreneurial community.
Jason Stoffer, Chief Investment Officer, General Partner
As a kid, Jason aspired to be the world’s greatest veterinarian. Now he herds cats of a different sort as a father to three young boys. Jason joined Maveron in 2007 after a pioneering role in online education and has become our resident expert in consumer education, e-commerce and marketplace businesses. He likes to dig in and stay involved, and our companies are better for it. Jason is a diehard U of Michigan football fan and a voracious reader—historical fiction, science fiction, the classics. Jason’s love of animals never quite went away; he serves on the board of the Seattle Humane Society.
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