November 2026
Melissa Freeman
Since 2007, Oregon Venture Fund has been testing and fine-tuning our place-based model of early-stage venture investing. We believe our regional relationships give us a competitive advantage that contributes to the fund’s success. Our collaborative model leverages the talent and expertise of business, early stage investing, and tech leaders to surface, select, and support top founders in Oregon and Southern Washington. Our collaborative nature is also conducive to strategic relationships with our LPs.
This month, we are pleased to announce our strategic relationship with Oregon State University Foundation. They made a commitment to our next 5-year fund, OVF XX, which will begin investing in 2028 through 2032. This investing relationship enables us to offer unique opportunities to OSU students and faculty.
On Oct. 23, Jonathan Leong, OSU’s College of Business professor, brought 10 students interested in finance to meet the team at OVF and learn about early-stage investing. Eric Rosenfeld and Alline Akintore spent 90 minutes sharing an overview and engaging in dialogue with the students about their entrepreneurial endeavors and questions. The majority spoke English as a second or third language and at least six countries were represented by this bright group of undergraduate and graduate students. They were friendly, focused and curious. One question by a student from France reminded me of the importance of building relationships with younger people. He asked me, “As director of investor relations, how do you build relationships with people? I mean, I know people play golf together, but how else do you get to know people?”
It was an innocent question that seemed like common sense to me at first, but was a reminder that students are growing up in a different era now. They are on their phones, working remotely, perhaps taking courses remotely, and they have to work harder to get engaged with other people, make friends, and build their networks. It takes intention and effort to put your device down, be vulnerable, and initiate a conversation with someone new.
I answered his question seriously. I described how it is important to ask people questions and listen to them. Building relationships is about getting to know someone’s interests, the stories of their life, and what motivates them. You can foster learning and trust by having meals together, attending events together, such as a lunch celebration for a nonprofit they care about, helping their family members if they need a connection, or help with a move, and so much more. Over time, your relationship will be reciprocal as you support each other, perhaps as references for jobs, volunteer service roles, and more.
As we are all judged by the company we keep, we are honored to work more closely with Jonathan Leong and OSU Foundation. We look forward to more opportunities to contribute to their students’ educational experience which, in turn, educates us about their ways of thinking, creative ideas, and personal challenges – a win-win for all.
For more information about investing with OVF, please reach out to Melissa Freeman at Melissa@OregonVentureFund.com.
Pictured: Eric Rosenfeld, Alline Akintore, Jonathan Leong (OSU Professor at College of Business) & 10 students representing six different countries.