EUVC VC | E490 | Jon Coker on Building Systemic Impact, Why Shared Value Wins & The Founder Learning Curve (ImpactVC spotlight series)
Jun 11, 2025
Jon Coker, founding partner at Eka Ventures, discusses his journey from analyst to impact-focused venture capitalist. He highlights the importance of systemic change in consumer health and sustainable consumption. Coker explains why founder learning velocity is his key metric for success. He shares insights on backing innovative startups, the challenges of evaluating teams, and the balance between economic value and societal impact. The conversation emphasizes aligning venture strategies with long-term societal shifts and the critical role of visionary entrepreneurs.
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Jon Coker's VC Journey
- Jon Coker's journey began with engineering interest in electric vehicles in 2007.
- He left JP Morgan to join MMC Ventures, eventually co-founding Eka Ventures focusing on impact themes.
Impact Themes Rationale
- Consumer health shifts from treatment to proactive prevention, creating huge market opportunity.
- Sustainable consumption targets circular, carbon-efficient supply chains for environmental and cost benefits.
How Impact VCs Add Value
- To avoid being a commodity, a VC must play where capital access is hard.
- Believing in founders when others don't and offering fair terms is highest value-add for impact VCs.