Owen Brooks
Investor

Owen covers early-stage B2B SaaS and fintech opportunities across Europe.

 

Owen joined us from Depict, a Swedish B2B startup building an ecommerce personalisation engine. He worked between customer success, onboarding processes, and product management.

 

Before that, he worked as a strategy consultant at McKinsey and within the public sector – with the United Nations Development Programme and the UK’s Cabinet Office.

 

He holds a first-class degree in History from Oxford University.

Connect
In conversation
Why B2B software VC?
Dawn
I’ve been in the trenches of a B2B SaaS startup, so I’ve become obsessed with its excitement and challenges. I’m inspired by the infinite potential of software to scale when you find a product that fits just right. And SaaS is uniquely exciting for me in its complexity. You need to not just build beautiful products, but also durable GTM strategies. I'm... forever amazed by the size of potential B2B markets – this is where true impact can be discovered.
What do you think is the most interesting trend in the industry, and why?
Dawn
I think that AI co-pilots will be worth the hype. I love the idea of everyone becoming like a Supreme Court justice, with tens of smart clerks working off your guidance. These will need to be built for specific roles and industries. As a CS manager, I would have loved an “assistant” that warned me about high churn risks, curated customer notes from meeti...ngs and emails, and executed “automated” next steps etc.
Most exciting moment of your career?
Dawn
I’ve been extremely fortunate, so it’s hard to pick! My opportunity to work with the United Nations in Jordan was a formative moment for me. It helped that the weekend trips to Petra, the Dead Sea, and Jerusalem were also magical.
And the quick fire round…
Book you’d recommend
‘Four Thousand Weeks’ by Oliver Burkeman. It’s a beautiful reminder to embrace the limitations of how short and insignificant our time on this earth is.
What are your favourite things to do in your free time?
I grew up on the west coast of Canada, so I’m a big fan of long hikes. There is nothing like being surrounded by nature to clear your head.
What’s your favourite film/series?
I really enjoyed the Studio Ghibli animations, especially Spirited Away. I spent a summer in Tokyo, and my parents met in the city, so Japan is especially close to my heart.
Recipe for the perfect weekend
A new exhibition around London with friends, some dim sum in the afternoon, and an Arsenal win!

More from Owen

https://dawncapital.com/?p=3251 aa
https://dawncapital.com/?p=3800 aa

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