Obvious Ventures Fund Five: A 360-Degree Bet on Planetary, Human, and Economic Health
Obvious Ventures has closed its fifth fund at $360,360,360—a number that’s more than a clever nod to mathematics. It’s a declaration of the firm’s mission: to invest in startups that advance planetary health, human health, and economic health through a unified, 360-degree lens. Co-founded by Twitter’s Evan Williams and led by managing director James Joaquin, the San Francisco–based firm continues its tradition of embedding meaning into its fund sizes while sharpening its focus on durable, science-driven innovation.
Credit: Obvious Ventures
Why the Number $360,360,360 Matters More Than You Think
For Obvious Ventures, fund numbers aren’t arbitrary—they’re symbolic. The firm’s first fund was $123,456,789, a sequential string that signaled fresh beginnings. The second, $191,919,191, was a palindrome, reflecting balance and symmetry. The third honored Euler’s number (e ≈ 2.71828...), a constant in natural growth. The fourth returned to palindromic form with $355,111,553.
Fund V breaks from pure numerology. Instead, $360,360,360 represents a full-circle worldview—360 degrees—across Obvious’s three core pillars: planetary, human, and economic health. “You have to be a student of the past to understand what’s worked and what hasn’t,” Joaquin told TechCrunch. This isn’t just poetic phrasing; it’s an operational philosophy rooted in long-term systems thinking.
The Three Pillars Driving Obvious Ventures’ Next Chapter
Planetary Health: Investing in Regeneration, Not Just Sustainability
Climate tech is no longer niche—it’s urgent. But Obvious Ventures goes beyond carbon accounting or renewable energy plays. The firm seeks companies actively regenerating ecosystems, not merely reducing harm. Think soil microbiome startups, circular material platforms, or AI-driven precision agriculture that boosts yields while restoring biodiversity.
Past investments like Memphis Meats (now UPSIDE Foods) exemplify this: cultivated meat reduces land use, water consumption, and methane emissions without sacrificing protein demand. With Fund V, expect deeper bets in food systems, clean water infrastructure, and novel carbon removal technologies that scale responsibly.
Human Health: From Longevity to Mental Resilience
Human health, in Obvious’s framework, spans physical, mental, and social well-being. While many VCs chase longevity unicorns, Obvious takes a broader view—funding tools that democratize access to care, improve daily resilience, and address root causes of chronic disease.
The firm’s portfolio includes companies tackling metabolic health through personalized nutrition, digital therapeutics for anxiety and depression, and even workplace wellness platforms that reduce burnout. In an era where mental health crises intersect with rising healthcare costs, these aren’t just “nice-to-haves”—they’re systemic necessities.
Economic Health: Building Inclusive, Durable Systems
Economic health doesn’t mean chasing the next fintech disruptor. For Obvious, it means backing businesses that create equitable value—where workers, communities, and shareholders all benefit. This includes alternative ownership models, decentralized marketplaces, and tools that empower small businesses to compete fairly.
Joaquin emphasizes durability over hype. “We want companies that can become public and stay public,” he says—a subtle critique of the “blitzscale-and-exit” playbook. Obvious learned this lesson firsthand: Beyond Meat’s meteoric IPO in 2019 briefly made it a poster child for impact investing, but its market cap plummeted by 2022 as competition surged and consumer habits shifted. The takeaway? Mission-aligned businesses must also master unit economics and brand loyalty.
Small Funds, Big Impact: The Obvious Strategy
At roughly $360 million, Fund V remains deliberately compact. That’s intentional. Obvious structures its funds so that a single breakout company—ideally one that matures into a resilient public entity—can return the entire fund. This approach forces discipline: fewer bets, deeper due diligence, and longer holding periods.
It also aligns incentives. Rather than pushing founders toward premature exits or unsustainable growth, Obvious partners act as true co-creators, often sitting on boards and advising on everything from hiring to regulatory strategy. Their ideal outcome isn’t a quick flip—it’s a company that reshapes an industry for decades.
This model thrives in complex, regulated sectors where domain expertise matters more than viral traction. You won’t find Obvious chasing meme coins or AI wrappers. Instead, they back founders with deep technical chops, clear ethical frameworks, and patience to navigate scientific or policy hurdles.
The Math Behind the Mission: Why Precision Matters
Obvious’s love of mathematical elegance isn’t just branding—it reflects a belief that rigor and beauty coexist in innovation. Euler’s number governs exponential growth in nature; palindromes mirror balance; and now, 360 degrees symbolizes holistic vision.
In practice, this mindset translates to meticulous thesis development. Before writing a check, the team maps how a startup intersects with macro trends: demographic shifts, climate tipping points, regulatory windows, and behavioral science. They ask not just “Can this scale?” but “Should it scale—and for whom?”
That level of scrutiny filters out opportunistic ventures. What remains are companies built on foundational science, validated need, and scalable impact—exactly the kind that thrive in volatile markets.
What Fund V Signals About the Future of Venture Capital
Obvious Ventures isn’t alone in prioritizing planetary and human outcomes—but its integration of all three pillars under one investment thesis remains rare. Most climate funds ignore labor equity; most health VCs overlook environmental determinants of disease. Obvious insists they’re interconnected.
As global challenges intensify—extreme weather, aging populations, widening inequality—investors face a choice: optimize for short-term returns or engineer long-term resilience. Fund V makes Obvious’s stance clear. They’re betting that the most valuable companies of the next decade will be those that heal rather than extract, include rather than exclude, and endure rather than evaporate.
This isn’t idealism—it’s strategic foresight. Consumers increasingly reward ethical brands. Regulators are tightening ESG disclosures. Talent gravitates toward purpose-driven workplaces. In this landscape, Obvious’s “world positive” mandate becomes a competitive advantage.
The Circle Is Complete—Now the Real Work Begins
With $360,360,360 in fresh capital, Obvious Ventures isn’t just funding startups—it’s curating a portfolio of planetary stewards, health innovators, and economic architects. The number may catch your eye, but the substance behind it should hold your attention.
In a venture ecosystem often criticized for short-termism and echo-chamber thinking, Obvious’s disciplined, values-led approach offers a compelling alternative. Fund V isn’t about chasing the next trend. It’s about building the future—one 360-degree investment at a time.
