With bleeding edge products at the forefront of web3, it’s no wonder that Origin has been supported by veterans of the tech space. Our Inside Origin content series highlights Origin Protocol’s investors, advisors, and team members – this week we take a look at Youtube co-founder Steve Chen!
If you’re new to Origin, you may be unfamiliar with the team and our history. Did you know:
Every other Wednesday, Origin chooses one great mind to highlight within Inside Origin. The previous edition covered Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit and Origin Protocol investor. Now let’s dive into YouTube co-founder Steve Chen’s involvement in Origin Protocol.
Born in 1978 in Taipei, Steve took an early interest in computing, well before the internet gained mass adoption. After attaining a degree in Computer Science from the University of Illinois, he joined Paypal as a software engineer in 2002.
This role allowed him to connect with fellow visionaries Chad Hurley and Jawed Karim. The trio went on to found Youtube in 2005, ushering in a digital renaissance on a scale scarcely seen before. Steve’s iconic positioning in Web2 culture was solidified in 2006, as Google acquired Youtube for a mammoth $1.65 billion.
Steve has maintained a keen interest in disruptive technologies since his days at Youtube. It was this passion that led him to become an early supporter and advisor at Origin Protocol in 2018.
Steve was drawn to Origin by the protocol’s resounding potential and the strength of the founding team.
Having watched our cofounder Matthew Liu play a critical role in scaling Youtube as its third product manager, Steve was able to invest confidently in the team’s long-term vision.
As an advisor, he’s been integral in the protocol’s growth. Backed by his wealth of experience scaling Youtube from obscurity to one of the largest websites on the internet, Steve has provided invaluable insights into the brass tacks of scalability.
Steve Chen Speaks about Origin Co-founder, Matthew Liu
Since Youtube, Steve has worked on a number of startups targeting media creation and social interaction. These endeavors led him to join Alphabet’s VC arm, GV, in 2018. He’s been a partner at the firm since 2021, playing a direct role in Google Venture’s investment strategies.
Steve’s career belies an insatiable passion for people and groundbreaking tech, backed by precise business acumen and a rarely seen level of foresight. We couldn’t be prouder to count Steve among Origin’s early investors!
Steve Chen (right) pictured with fellow YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley
