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Most investors talk about backing the future. David Morin has spent his career building it first, then investing in it. As one of Facebook's earliest employees who co-created Facebook Platform and Facebook Connect, then co-founded Path and Slow Ventures, Morin has been at the center of every major shift in social technology for nearly two decades.

Now, with Offline Ventures, his $100 million fund backed by Apple, Morin is pursuing what he calls "humanist technology" - investments that prioritize human wellbeing over pure growth metrics. With 187+ investments spanning companies like Slack, Pinterest, Clubhouse, and emerging mental health startups, Morin's portfolio reflects a unique thesis: the best technology serves human potential rather than exploiting human psychology.

The Facebook Foundation: Building Platform Infrastructure

Morin's investment philosophy traces directly to his early experience at Facebook, where he joined in 2006 as one of the company's first employees and senior platform managers.

Co-Creating Facebook Platform

Morin co-created Facebook Platform, the software environment that allowed third-party developers to create applications within Facebook. This wasn't just a feature - it was a fundamental shift that turned Facebook from a social network into a platform ecosystem.

The impact was immediate and massive:

• Thousands of developers built applications on Facebook
• Games like FarmVille reached hundreds of millions of users
• Facebook became infrastructure that other businesses could build on
• The platform model proved that the biggest returns come from enabling others to succeed

Facebook Connect: Identity Infrastructure

Morin also co-created Facebook Connect, which allowed people to use their Facebook credentials to log into external websites. This created a seamless internet experience while giving Facebook data and reach across the entire web.

These experiences taught Morin crucial lessons about platform businesses:

• The most valuable companies become infrastructure for others
• Network effects create winner-take-all dynamics
• Developer experience determines platform adoption
• Platform businesses require different investment evaluation criteria

The Path Experiment: Privacy and Intentional Design

In 2010, Morin left Facebook to co-found Path, a mobile social network focused on close friends and family rather than mass broadcasting.

The Contrarian Bet

While Facebook was focused on connecting everyone to everyone, Path deliberately limited users to 50 friends maximum. The thesis: social networks should enhance real relationships rather than create performative social media behavior.

Path introduced several features that later became industry standards:

• Stories format (later adopted by Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook)
• Location-based social sharing
• Private, intimate social networking
• Mobile-first design philosophy

Lessons in Consumer Social

Though Path was eventually acquired by Kakao in 2015 and shut down in 2018, it taught Morin valuable lessons about consumer social products:

• Product design shapes human behavior
• Privacy and intimacy matter in social products
• Mobile-first approach is essential
• Timing and market readiness determine success
• Building for human wellbeing sometimes conflicts with growth metrics

These insights would later inform his investment approach, particularly his focus on technology that serves human potential.

Slow Ventures: Long-Term Thinking in a Short-Term World

In 2009, even before leaving Facebook, Morin founded Slow Ventures with a contrarian investment philosophy: prioritize long-term company building over quick growth and exits.

The "Slow" Philosophy

Slow Ventures wasn't about moving slowly - it was about thinking long-term and building sustainable businesses. The name reflected several core beliefs:

• Great companies take time to build
• Sustainable growth beats unsustainable growth
• Company culture and values matter as much as metrics
• The best investments compound over many years

Portfolio Success Stories

Under Morin's leadership, Slow Ventures invested in some of the most successful startups of the 2010s:

Slack: Workplace communication platform that transformed how teams collaborate

Pinterest: Visual discovery platform that became essential for creators and brands

Nextdoor: Neighborhood social network that created local community connections

Evernote: Note-taking and organization tool that pioneered productivity software

Postmates: Food delivery platform (acquired by Uber)

Blue Bottle Coffee: Artisanal coffee company (acquired by Nestlé)

Robinhood: Commission-free trading platform that democratized investing

The Pattern Recognition

Looking across Slow Ventures' portfolio, several patterns emerge:

• Consumer platforms that create new behaviors
• Tools that make professional activities more accessible
• Companies that build community and connection
• Businesses that prioritize user experience and design
• Platforms that enable others to create and share

Offline Ventures: Humanist Technology and Mental Health

In 2020, Morin launched Offline Ventures with his wife Brit Morin, James Higa (former Apple executive), and Nate Bosshard (Tonal co-founder). The $100 million fund represents an evolution in Morin's investment thinking.

The Apple Partnership

Unlike traditional VC funds, Offline Ventures counts Apple as an anchor investor. This unique relationship reflects several factors:

• Morin's long history with Apple (he worked there before Facebook)
• Shared focus on design and user experience
• Apple's growing interest in health and wellness
• Alignment on technology that enhances rather than exploits human behavior

The Humanist Technology Thesis

Offline Ventures focuses on what Morin calls "humanist technology" - investments that prioritize human wellbeing and potential. This includes:

Mental Health and Wellness: Direct therapeutics, digital therapeutics, meditation apps, and telemedicine platforms

Health Technology: Connected fitness, personal health monitoring, and healthcare enablement systems

Human-Centered AI: Artificial intelligence that augments human capabilities rather than replacing human connection

Sustainable Technology: Solutions that consider long-term environmental and social impact

Community and Connection: Platforms that create genuine relationships rather than addictive engagement

Investment Focus: Mental Health and Wellness

Morin's personal experience with depression and his work with the Sunrise Foundation (focused on curing depression) heavily influences Offline Ventures' investment strategy.

Recent Mental Health Investments

Done: Telemedicine company focused specifically on ADHD diagnosis and medication management

Brightside: Telemedicine platform for depression treatment that saw dramatic growth during the pandemic

Meditation and Digital Therapeutics: Multiple investments in apps and platforms that provide mental health support through technology

The Integration Approach

Morin believes effective mental health solutions require integrating multiple approaches:

• Genomics and personalized medicine
• Traditional therapy and counseling
• Spiritual and mindfulness practices
• Technology and data-driven insights
• Community support and connection

This holistic view influences how Offline Ventures evaluates mental health startups.

The Incubation Model: Building vs. Just Investing

Offline Ventures operates with a unique model: 80% traditional investing, 20% company incubation. This reflects Morin's belief that the best investors don't just pick winners - they help create them.

The Incubation Process

Offline Ventures works with founders and ideas at the earliest stages:

• Identifying market opportunities through research and user interviews
• Helping founders develop initial product concepts
• Providing operational support during company formation
• Leveraging network and expertise to accelerate early progress

Strategic Advantage

This approach provides several advantages:

• Earlier access to promising opportunities
• Deeper relationships with founding teams
• Better understanding of market dynamics
• Ability to shape company direction from inception

Board Positions and Strategic Involvement

Morin's board positions reveal where he thinks he can add most strategic value:

Esalen Institute (Chairman): Leading center for exploring human potential through experience, education, and research

Dwell Media (Board Member): Award-winning media company serving architecture and design community

Previous Boards: Eventbrite (through IPO), United States Ski Team (through two Olympics), San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

These positions reflect Morin's interests in human potential, design, culture, and community building.

Investment Philosophy: Design, Community, and Human Potential

Morin's approach to investing reflects lessons learned from building platforms, consumer products, and communities:

Design-Driven Solutions

Having worked at Apple and built consumer products, Morin prioritizes companies with exceptional design and user experience. Great design isn't just aesthetics - it's about creating products that feel natural and enhance human capabilities.

Community and Network Effects

Experience building Facebook Platform and Path taught Morin to recognize network effects and community dynamics. The best investments often involve platforms that become more valuable as more people use them.

Long-Term Value Creation

The "Slow Ventures" philosophy continues at Offline Ventures: focus on sustainable business models and long-term value creation rather than quick growth and exits.

Human-Centered Technology

Unlike investors who prioritize engagement metrics and growth at all costs, Morin evaluates companies based on their impact on human wellbeing and potential.

Recent Investment Themes

Based on Offline Ventures' recent activity, several key themes emerge:

Audio and Voice Technology

Morin's investment in Clubhouse reflects his belief that audio represents the next frontier in social networking. Voice technology creates more intimate, human connections than text or video.

Creator Economy Infrastructure

Tools that help individual creators build sustainable businesses, reflecting Morin's understanding of platform dynamics and enabling technologies.

Sustainable Consumer Products

Companies that create products people love while considering environmental and social impact.

Health and Wellness Technology

Continued focus on companies that use technology to improve physical and mental health outcomes.

The Platform Perspective on AI

Morin's platform experience gives him unique insights into how AI will evolve:

AI as Infrastructure

Like Facebook Platform enabled thousands of developers to build applications, AI platforms will enable millions of people to create and solve problems in new ways.

Human-AI Collaboration

Rather than AI replacing humans, Morin focuses on companies that use AI to augment human capabilities and creativity.

Community and AI

The most successful AI companies will likely be those that build communities and enable human connection, not just automate tasks.

Lessons for Technology Investors

Morin's journey from platform builder to humanist investor offers several lessons:

1. Operating Experience Matters

Having built platforms and consumer products gives Morin unique insight into what makes technology succeed at scale.

2. Design and User Experience Drive Adoption

Great technology isn't just about functionality - it's about creating experiences that feel magical and natural to users.

3. Platform Thinking Creates Massive Value

The biggest returns often come from companies that enable others to succeed rather than just serving end users directly.

4. Long-Term Thinking Wins

Sustainable business models and patient capital often generate better returns than growth-at-all-costs strategies.

5. Human Wellbeing Should Guide Technology Development

Technology that serves human potential rather than exploiting human psychology creates more sustainable value.

The Future of Humanist Technology

Looking ahead, Morin sees several trends shaping the technology landscape:

Mental Health Infrastructure

As society recognizes mental health as essential healthcare, there will be massive opportunities in platforms, tools, and services that support psychological wellbeing.

AI That Augments Human Creativity

Rather than replacing human creativity, AI will become a tool that helps people express themselves and solve problems more effectively.

Sustainable Technology

Companies that consider environmental and social impact from the beginning will increasingly outcompete those focused purely on financial metrics.

Community-Driven Platforms

The next generation of social platforms will prioritize authentic community building over engagement metrics and advertising revenue.

The Apple Connection and Hardware Innovation

Offline Ventures' relationship with Apple creates unique opportunities in hardware and integrated experiences:

Connected Health Devices

Wearables and health monitoring devices that integrate with software platforms to provide comprehensive health insights.

AR/VR and Spatial Computing

Augmented and virtual reality applications that enhance rather than replace real-world experiences.

Privacy-First Technology

Solutions that provide personalized experiences while protecting user privacy and data.

The Bottom Line: Technology Serving Human Potential

David Morin's evolution from Facebook platform creator to humanist technology investor reflects a broader shift in how thoughtful technologists think about the industry's role in society.

His experience building platforms that enabled millions of developers and billions of users gives him unique insight into how technology scales and shapes human behavior. His work with Path and focus on mental health through Sunrise Foundation demonstrates his commitment to technology that serves human wellbeing.

With Offline Ventures, Morin is applying these lessons to invest in the next generation of companies that will use technology to unlock human potential rather than exploit human psychology.

For entrepreneurs building technology companies, Morin represents an investor who understands both the technical challenges of scaling platforms and the human challenges of building technology that genuinely improves lives.

For other investors, Morin's approach demonstrates the value of having deep operational experience in the areas where you invest, thinking long-term about value creation, and considering the broader impact of technology on human society.

As artificial intelligence and other powerful technologies continue reshaping the world, the question isn't just what's possible - it's what's beneficial for human flourishing. David Morin has positioned himself at the center of that conversation, using his platform experience and humanist values to back the companies that will shape technology's impact on humanity.