Modern Day Heroes

Eric Rosenfeld 

November 2024

We believe startup founders are heroes for their innovations and hard work, for creating local wealth and jobs, and for making the world a better place. Interestingly, OVF portfolio founders also believe OVF investors and venture partners are heroes for providing risk capital, introductions to potential customers and employees, and for giving them a chance to pursue their dreams. OVF has grown and evolved to become a highly collaborative marketplace, of sorts, that selectively matches investors and investments with world-class entrepreneurs, and where one could not succeed without the hard work and commitment of the other.  

Someday, perhaps after our next big exit, I’d love for OVF to sponsor a billboard featuring our founders, like how Nike and the Blazers pay tribute to their athletes. If Kim Malek can make Salt & Straw to Oregon what Ben & Jerry’s has been to Vermont, or if Sean McClain and Team Absci can develop a cure for any form of cancer, shouldn’t they be publicly honored as our community’s heroes, at least as much as those who can dribble a ball? In the meantime, we’ll settle for more affordable entrepreneur-hero tributes on OPB.org and LinkedIn.  

Heck, if a portfolio founder creates the next Nike or Amazon, we’d build them an equestrian statue. Downtown, where that elk was, until it was so ignobly toppled and carted off, Saddam Hussein-style. If it were Colin Nederkoorn atop a Clydesdale, I’d like to believe no one would’ve dared anything so cowardly or uncivil.  

Which takes us to the late, great Gov. Tom McCall, who said: “Heroes are not giant statues framed against a red sky. They are people who say, ‘This is my community, and it's my responsibility to make it better.’” - Tom McCall 

When you invest local and when you share your expertise, relationships, and wisdom with local founders you are a hero. You are saying, “This is my community, and I am taking responsibility for making it better.”