James Joaquin is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Obvious Ventures. See portfolio, sector focus and contact routes.
James Joaquin is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Obvious Ventures, where he leads early-stage investments in breakthrough technologies that advance humanity, drawing on a background as a former CEO of IPO-listed Xoom.com and acquired Ofoto. His investment thesis targets “world-positive” companies across three core themes: sustainable systems, healthy living, and people power, with specific focus on plant-forward food, responsible AI, and labor marketplaces in the United States. While specific check sizes and lead/follow behavior are not publicly detailed, he has led firm investments in notable deals spanning advanced materials and health tech. His portfolio includes Beyond Meat (which went public), Diamond Foundry, Incredible Health, and Olly (acquired by Unilever). Joaquin distinguishes himself by championing the responsible use of AI to solve unsolvable problems in trillion-dollar industries and by investing only in startups that combine profit with purpose. He has publicly articulated this “world-positive” approach in interviews and firm materials, emphasizing mission-driven ventures that generate both financial returns and positive global impa
Details on this investor come from filing and round data held in the StartupFundraising directory, refreshed on ingest. Founders use profiles like this one to qualify fit and to shortlist investors in San Francisco.
Investors like James Joaquin · Full investor directory · Investor access · Company funding database