Venture as a Service
Lynn Fletcher
March 2025
When thinking about venture capital, a subscription model probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. Traditional venture funds are often limited to investors with deep pockets that sign up to invest for a minimum of 3-5 years. At the Oregon Venture Fund, we do things a little differently. When founded back in 2007, the Oregon Venture Fund embraced the idea of a Venture-as-a-Service business model, with an annual subscription cycle. We asked, can we give investors the option to invest each year and then earn their repeat business by communicating well and performing well?
As it turns out, yes! It is possible and investors appreciate it very much. Most of our investors invest with the fund for 5-10 years. We even have some who have been investing since that very first year. Why? They do it for the mission and the returns, and because they know they have the option. Investors like the peace of mind the subscription model brings. If there is an unexpected expense, a health crisis, kids are off to college, or a downturn with other investments, they can always step back for a year or two and continue when the time is right.
We believe communication and transparency are key to a successful Venture-as-a-Service model. Monthly newsletters and quarterly reports are regular, meaty, and entertaining. We also have a private LinkedIn group to help our community connect.
If you are interested in learning more about investing, please reach out to Melissa Freeman to learn about how you can invest in the next generation of world class companies, on your terms.
Additional reading and videos.
For entrepreneurs:
Video: Let’s talk about how to move your business forward
For investors: