Leadership Spotlight: Pacific Northwest Chapter Co-lead, Colin Tobias of SemperVirens

The EVCA leadership is dedicated to building community across and empowering the next generation of venture capitalists through an array of activities—from hosting events, knowledge sharing, and connecting others. This EVCA Leadership Spotlight Series is intended to help the broader community get to know what's going on behind the scenes at the EVCA, as well as highlight the valuable contributions of those individuals who make the EVCA possible. Accordingly, it's a great privilege for us to announce this EVCA Leadership Spotlight on our very own EVCA Pacific Northwest Chapter Lead, Colin Tobias of SemperVirens.

Colin Tobias is a partner at SemperVirens, an early stage fund investing in healthcare tech, fintech, and workforce technology. Colin looks to invest in companies that are transforming the future of work as employers look to help their employees work, live, and earn better. Prior to SemperVirens, Colin was an investor at Tenaya Capital, an early-growth stage fund with $2 billion under management. At Tenaya, Colin worked directly with Tenaya's managing partners to evaluate early-growth investments in consumer and enterprise sectors. Colin graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of San Diego with degrees in finance and accounting.

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EVCA: Could you share more about what you do in your role as EVCA's Pacific Northwest chapter lead?

Colin: As a Pacific NW co-lead, I help create a sense of community among the other PNW investors in the EVCA chapter. This includes both social and educational opportunities through events, dinners and fireside chats. I've been lucky to partner with Sara Lindquist who's helped growth the PNW chapter significantly since it's founding a few years ago.

EVCA: What made you interested in taking a leadership role at EVCA?

Colin: I've been a part of the EVCA community since it's onset and have loved the mission and sense of community that is has provided to the next generation of VCs! After relocating up to Seattle in 2020, I wanted to help found the PNW chapter to integrate myself into the network and support the vibrant and growing VC community! I'm very bullish on the PNW startup ecosystem - 2 of the 5 largest companies were founded here and there is incredible energy and excitement as entrepreneurs are building the next wave of category-defining businesses, particularly around AI.

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EVCA: What is your most contrarian view on an existing or emerging technology trend?

Colin: At SemperVirens, I spend a significant amount of my time looking at healthcare companies that primarily have a B2B GTM motion. While there is certainly "point solution fatigue" among buyers, I am generally bullish on point solutions as the right way to build in healthcare. Building with a specific condition or solution in mind allows for the domain expertise necessary to actually drive better outcomes and lower costs. The key to avoiding point-solution fatigue is deep integration with the horiztonal platforms that make rollout painless and individual contracting an after-thought. Additionally, new payment methods (e.g. value-based care) will lessen the "PMPM stacking" that is driving some of the point-solution fatigue as employers and payers have seen costs rise and it's been difficult to assign quantifiable ROI.

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Interested in taking on an EVCA leadership role? The EVCA leadership is dedicated to empowering the next generation of VCs through an array of activities—running 40+ channels on from hosting events, knowledge sharing, and connecting others. If interested in pursuing an EVCA leadership role, click here.