Welcome to the Great North Ventures newsletter! We have exit news! And for founders, we have a former Googler talking about the importance of being data-driven, and sharing other advice.
![Interview with Joe Sriver](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Execution-is-King-cover-art-and-logo-14.png)
Interview with Joe Sriver, Execution is King
2ndKitchen has been acquired by SoftBank-backed REEF Technologies. REEF is the largest operator of delivery kitchens, logistics, and proximity hubs in North America. The existing businesses will combine under the REEF brand.
2ndKitchen’s team will remain fully intact, including CEO Nick Anastasiades, CTO Arik Gaisler, and CFO Jon Elron, and will be operating under REEF’s Hospitality division.
In the latest episode of “Execution is King” we feature Joe Sriver, CEO of 4giving and the first UX/UI hire at Google.
Joe talks about being a designer in Silicon Valley, what he took away from the experience at Google as one of the first 200 employees, and how important being data-driven is to good product design.
Joe offers great perspective as a Midwest “boomerang” who returned from Silicon Valley to found his own successful companies, and gives advice to startup founders.
ICYMI, Glowe’s social wearable is available. The Glowe device is a great gift for any teens who you missed on your holiday shopping list.
Portfolio Updates
2ndKitchen acquired by ghost kitchen giant
3 Minnesota Companies Make the Deloitte 2021 Technology Fast 500 List [Branch]
From printing to coffee, this startup brings office amenities to the remote worker [PrintWithMe]
139 Open Positions
See all open positions on the Great North Ventures careers page
Dispatch is hiring for 80 positions
FactoryFixis hiring for 5 positions
Pitchlyis hiring for 4 positions
PrintWithMeis hiring for 12 positions
Parallaxis hiring for 5 positions
Branch is hiring for 16 positions
Inhabitr is hiring for 2 positions
Clinician Nexusis hiring for 1 position
NoiseAwareis hiring for 2 positions
PartySlateis hiring for 7 positions
Flywheelis hiring for 2 positions
NextGemis hiring for 2 positions
Backhouse Brandsis hiring for 1 position
![](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Artboard-1@3x-e1714492694352.png)
April Newsletter
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June Newsletter
![Learn about HR in startups.](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/startup-hr.jpg)
Demystifying Startup HR
![We're Hiring](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/News-Template-replae-Background-Image-3.png)
Head of Finance & Fund Administration- Venture Capital Firm (Remote)
![Learn about HR in startups.](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/startup-hr.jpg)
Demystifying Startup HR
![August Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/August_22_Newsletter.png)
3 Portfolio Companies Make Inc. 5000 + Quicklly & Instacart Expand
![3 Portfolio Companies on The Inc. 5000 List](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/inc_5000_header.png)
3 Portfolio Companies Ranked on The Inc. 5000 List
![July Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/july_newsletter.png)
iraLogix closes $22M + Branch expands with Uber
![iraLogix Closes Series C](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/iraLogix_series_c.jpg)
iraLogix closes $22M Series C
![June Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/June-Newsletter.png)
Flywheel lands Gates Foundation grant
![We're Hiring](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/News-Template-replae-Background-Image-3.png)
Venture Capital Analyst
![execution is king with orazio buzza](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Execution-is-King-cover-art-and-logo-.png)
Orazio Buzza, Founder and CEO of Fooda – on Episode 13, “Execution is King”
![May newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/December-Newsletter-4.png)
$40M Fund II Raised!
![Eric Martell Interview](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Screen-Shot-2022-05-19-at-6.50.59-PM-1200x673.png)
Eric Martell, Founder of Pear Commerce: Episode 13, Execution is King
![Great North Ventures Raises $40M Fund II](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/News-Template-replae-Background-Image-2.png)
Great North Ventures Raises $40 Million Fund II
![Investment Thesis: Fund II Strategy](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Fund-II-Thesis.png)
Investment Thesis: Fund II Strategy
![Investment Thesis: Community-Driven Applications](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Fund-II-Theses-5.png)
Investment Theme: Community-Driven Applications
![Investment Themes: Digital Transformation Through AI](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Fund-II-Theses-3.png)
Investment Theme: Digital Transformation Through AI
![Fund II Theses: Solving Labor Problems](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Fund-II-Theses-4.png)
Investment Theme: Solving Labor Problems
![April Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/December-Newsletter-3.png)
Trends in the Gig Economy + Work in the Metaverse
![March Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/December-Newsletter-2.png)
Portfolio raises $125M + talking fundraising with Branch CEO
![Omnia Fishing announcement](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/News-Template-replae-Background-Image-1.png)
Omnia Fishing closes $4M round, joins Great North portfolio!
![Interview with Atif Siddiqi](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Execution-is-King-cover-art-and-logo-9.png)
Atif Siddiqi, Founder/CEO of Branch: Episode 11, Execution is King
![Execution is King Episode 10](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Execution-is-King-cover-art-and-logo-9.png)
Michael Martocci, CEO and Founder of SwagUp: Episode 10, Execution is King
![Yardstik Series A](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/News-Template-replae-Background-Image.png)
Yardstik new to portfolio, closes $8M Series A
![NextGem News](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/NextGem-News.png)
First venture studio startup comes out of stealth!
![January Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/January-Newsletter.png)
Insights for founders from a data guru, + FactoryFix raises a Series A!
![Execution is King - Interview with Una Fox](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Execution-is-King-cover-art-and-logo-8.png)
Una Fox: Episode 9, Execution is King
![](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Blog-Post-Image-2.png)
Start With a Mobile App, Not a Website
![December Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/December-Newsletter.png)
2ndKitchen acquired by SoftBank-backed REEF + advice from an early Googler
![Interview with Joe Sriver](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Execution-is-King-cover-art-and-logo-14.png)
Joe Sriver, 4giving: Episode 8, Execution is King
![2ndKitchen founders](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/2ndKitchen-Founder-Photo-2-scaled-1-1200x837.jpeg)
2ndKitchen Acquired by REEF
![November Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/November-Newsletter-Copy.png)
Venture studio startup jobs + advice for founders from founders
![](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Execution-is-King-cover-art-and-logo-7.png)
Best Advice from the Great North Annual Event: Episode 7, Execution is King
![October Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/October-Newsletter.png)
Newsletter: Do you fit our investing themes?
![Interview with Jonathan Treble](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Execution-is-King-cover-art-and-logo-5.png)
Jonathan Treble, PrintWithMe: Episode 6, Execution is King
![](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Anna-Mason-Episode-Cover-Art-1200x675.png)
Anna Mason, Revolution: Episode 5, Execution is King
![Mynul Khan Episode Cover Art](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Mynul-Khan-Episode-Cover-Art-1200x675.png)
Mynul Khan, FieldNation: Episode 4, Execution is King
![Nick Moran Episode Cover Art](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Nick-Moran-Episode-Cover-Art-1200x675.png)
Nick Moran, New Stack Ventures: Episode 3, Execution is King
![Molly Pyle Episode Cover Art](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Molly-Pyle-Episode-Cover-Art-1200x675.png)
Molly Pyle, Center on Rural Innovation (CORI): Episode 2, Execution is King
![](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Kaufenberg-Episode-Cover-Art-1200x675.png)
Justin Kaufenberg, Rally Ventures: Execution is King Episode 1
![September Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Newsletter-Blog-Post-Template-Copy.png)
Newsletter: “Podcast Launched: Execution is King!”
![Execution is King logo](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Screen-Shot-2021-08-04-at-11.03.10-PM-1200x679.png)
“Execution is King” – the Great North Ventures Podcast
![June Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Newsletter-Blog-Post-Template.png)
Newsletter: Fund II is open for business!
![Portfolio Spotlight Blog post](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Blog-Featured-Image-3.png)
Unlocking the Potential of Anonymized Commercial Real Estate (CRE) Data
![Twitter posting for seed and pre-seed startups looking for funding](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Blog-Featured-Image-2.png)
Fund II is open for Business!
![Logo_primary](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Logo_primary.png)
Mike Schulte Promoted to Venture Partner
![April-Newsletter-1](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/April-Newsletter-1.png)
New Name + New Venture Studio
![Great North Venture Labs](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Blog-Featured-Image-1.png)
Great North Launches Startup Studio
![UST on The Wall](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/UST-on-The-Wall.png)
We Don’t Need No [full-time MBA] Education
![Moonshots at the Carlson School](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/20190604_181149-copy-scaled-1-1200x682.jpg)
How the University of Minnesota is Embracing Startup Culture
![Top Stories of 2020, iraLogix, and LaunchMN Calls for Mentors](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/December-Newsletter.png)
Top Stories of 2020, iraLogix, and LaunchMN Calls for Mentors
![Building Capacity](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Screen-Shot-2020-10-29-at-12.55.57-PM.png)
Building Capacity for Innovation
![August Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/August-Newsletter.png)
Seizing Opportunity in a Recession, Allergy Amulet, and Twin Cities Startup Week
![July Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/July-Newsletter.png)
Recessionary times, a record-setting IPO, and Minnesota’s Resilient Startups
![Compass Resilience](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Compass-Resilience-1200x617.png)
Minnesota's Resilient Startups
![June Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/June-Newsletter.png)
July 4th, Equitable American Dream-ing, and Robots Diagnosing COVID
![May Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/May-Newsletter.png)
Jumpstart, the Startup School, and Branch Wins a Webby!
![April 2020 Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/April-Newsletter.png)
COVID-19 Trends, the Great North response, and our Founders Survey
![Giving in the Time of Coronavirus](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Giving-in-the-Time-of-Coronavirus.png)
Giving in the Time of Coronavirus
![capitol building](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/low-angle-photography-of-building-1000738-scaled-1-1200x800.jpg)
COVID-19 Resources for Startups, State-by-State
![March Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/March-Newsletter.png)
COVID-19, the CARES Act, and startups stepping up
![New Business Preservation Act](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/New-Business-Preservation-Act.png)
New Business Preservation Act
![February newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/February-Newsletter.png)
Digital Future Boardroom, PartySlate, and The Lean Startup School
![Startup Summit 2020](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Startup-Summit-2020-1200x600.png)
Great North Labs’s Startup Summit 2020
![Startup Summit 2020](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Startup-Summit-2020-1200x600.png)
Great North Labs's Startup Summit 2020
![Great North Labs January Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/January-Newsletter.png)
World Economic Forum, NoiseAware, and the Startup School reboot
![WEF dates](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Screen-Shot-2020-01-21-at-7.33.48-PM.png)
Great North Labs at the World Economic Forum 2020 in Davos
![Top 5 Stories of 2019](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/December-Newsletter-Featured-Image.png)
Top 5 Stories of 2019
![November Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/November-Newsletter.jpg)
Taking the Founders Pledge, Inhabitr, and gBETA Pitch Night
![buildings with graph columns overlaid](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Screen-Shot-2019-11-27-at-10.27.33-AM.png)
Founders Pledge: Support the Organizations that Support You
![Great North Labs's October Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/October-Newsletter-.png)
BETA Showcase, Greater MN, and Launch MN comes to St. Cloud
![Twin Cities Startup Week 2019](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Screen-Shot-2019-10-09-at-7.01.37-PM.png)
7 Places to Spot Us at Startup Week
![September Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/September-Newsletter.png)
The Greater MN Meetup, Parallax, and Exponential Medicine
![August Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/August-Newsletter-Copy.png)
Greater MN at the big show, Neela Mollgaard heads Launch MN, and Misty’s roadtrip.
![July Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/July-Newsletter.png)
Talking VC, tech kids, and Forge North’s Horizon
![May Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/May-Copy.png)
June: Great North Labs’s first fund raised!
![May Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/May.png)
May: Innovation Ecosystems, SingularityU Kickoff, and PrintWithMe
![April Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/April.png)
April: Minnebar Recap, ZenLord Pro, and Supporting Entrepreneurs
![Minnebar14](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Minnebar14-1200x400.png)
MinneBar 14 Recap
![Tech Madness 2019](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Tech-Madness-1200x457.jpg)
Dispatch and 2ndKitchen claim Tech Madness titles
![Minnesota Innovation Collaborative](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Screen-Shot-2019-04-04-at-6.12.37-PM-1200x402.png)
Minnesota Innovation Collaborative
![March Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/March.jpg)
March: Minnebar, Hockey + Hustlers, and Innovation Workshops
![Great North Labs at CES](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/My-Post.jpg)
Great North Labs at CES
![Dec._Jan. Newsletter Copy 2](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Dec._Jan.-Newsletter-Copy-2.jpg)
Dec.-Jan.: Top Posts from 2018, pepr, Glowe, and Misty Robotics
![Top Posts 2018](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Top-Posts-2018.jpg)
Carried Interest: Top Posts from 2018
![Oct.-Nov. Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Oct._Nov.-Newsletter-Copy.jpg)
Oct.-Nov.: Singularity University, Exponential Tech, and the State of Innovation
![Great North Labs's July Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/July-Update.jpg)
July: Pitchly, ForwardFest, and Where to Invest in the Midwest
![The Digital Transformation Summit will take place on July 25th in Minneapolis.](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Digital-Transformation-Summit-2018-e1605573289717-1200x392.png)
Digital Transformation Summit, July 25th in Minneapolis
![June Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/June-Newsletter.jpg)
June: Silicon Lakes, FactoryFix, and the Digital Transformation Summit
![road sign silicon valley highway](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Screen-Shot-2018-06-15-at-12.20.39-PM.png)
Putting the “Silicon” in Silicon Lakes
![Smart factory equipped with AGV, robot carrier, 3D printers and robotic picking system](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/iStock-901810310.jpg)
Digital Manufacturing and Logistics
![May Newsletter Copy](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/May-Newsletter-Copy.jpg)
May: Team Genius, IoT, and the Future of Everything
![engineer and various business information. Internet of things industry.](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/iStock-858527370.jpg)
IoT 3.0
![Healthcare innovation image](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Healthcare-article-picture.png)
Healthcare Innovation
![March Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/March-Newsletter.jpg)
March: Exponential Tech, the “Goldilocks Zone”, and Minnebar 13
![February Newsletter](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/February-Newsletter.jpg)
February: Team Expansion, Dispatch, and Startup School Events
![Great North Labs Newsletter December 2017](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Headerlogo.png)
Great North Labs Newsletter – December 2017
![Rob-Back-To-The-Future-wide](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Rob-Back-To-The-Future-wide.png)
A Letter To My Younger Self
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Great North Labs Newsletter
![Original Great North Labs banner and logo](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/GNL-Banner.png)
Great North Labs Featured on Tech.mn
![St. Paul city skyline](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/st-cloud-skyline.jpg)
Great North Labs Featured in St Cloud Times
![Ryan Weber teaching incubator class](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/RyanWeber-SummerIncubator-GreatNorthLabs.jpg)
Great North Labs – Featured on BizJournals.com
![computer on a desk](https://greatnorthventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/computer.jpg)