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Christen O'Brien

Partner & Market Development at Scribble Ventures

Christen O'Brien

Christen O'Brien is a Partner and Head of Market Development at Scribble Ventures, an early-stage venture firm started by operators and investors from Twitter, Instagram, Dropbox, and a16z.123

As a co-founder of 500 Startups and former CMO at NFX, Christen is an experienced company builder who has led brand, marketing, growth, and content teams to build mass audiences globally.12 She is also a writer and essayist whose work has been featured on CNN, CNBC, Medium, and kottke.org, and has been selected for collaborations by Pixar co-founder Ed Catmull and filmmaker Ken Burns.1

At Scribble, Christen works closely with portfolio companies on go-to-market strategy, brand positioning, content and channel strategy, audience development, and growth.13 She believes language shapes how we think, build products, recruit teams, and attract customers.1

Since 2010, Christen has helped build venture funds that have backed companies such as Canva, Twilio, Grab, Credit Karma, Talkdesk, Intercom, Udemy, GitLab, The Real Real, and Mammoth Biosciences.12 She joined Scribble after becoming an LP, seeing it as a testament to her belief in the team, vision, and mission.1

In her free time, Christen is passionate about protecting wildlife and wild places, and is an active investor in The Orangutan Project and The Shannon Elizabeth Foundation.1 She has a BA in Communications from the University of Southern California and previously served as an ESL teacher in the Peace Corps in Eastern Europe.12

Highlights

Apr 10 · twitter

“AI is whatever hasn’t been done yet”. So good, @kevinweil @lennysan!

Mar 17 · twitter

Prediction --> Tech + Startup Culture is about to see a seismic shift. One where espionage becomes more prevalent, along with things like overnight company-cloning, and cut-throat growth tactics. This was never a world for the faint of heart, but it's about to get kinda savage.

Aug 16 · TODAY
Woman opens up about her near-death experience: ‘I felt no fear’ - TODAY
Aug 6 · Markets Insider
MOV.AI Raises $3M in Seed Funding From Viola Ventures and NFX - Markets Insider

Related Questions

What are some of Christen O'Brien's most notable achievements at Scribble Ventures?
How did Christen O'Brien's experience at 500 Startups influence her work at Scribble Ventures?
What inspired Christen O'Brien to transition from being a CMO at NFX to a Partner at Scribble Ventures?
Can you share more about Christen O'Brien's writing career and her essays that have gone viral?
What are some of the companies Christen O'Brien has helped build through her work at Scribble Ventures?
Christen O'Brien
Christen O'Brien, photo 1
Christen O'Brien, photo 2
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Experience

Partner & Market Development at Scribble Ventures (September 2021 - Present)
Chief Marketing Officer at NFX (May 2017 - June 2021), Co-Founding Partner at 500 Startups (October 2010 - June 2015)

Education

B.A., Communications & Business from University of Southern California (1997 - 2001)

Location

San Francisco, California, United States