In March, we kicked off the search for two new Associates to join the Dynamo Ventures team. Key to our search was finding people who had the desire to put in the work to develop into the next great seed investor. Equally, we valued those who demonstrated an ability to have an immediate impact on our small team as “getting stuff done” is a core trait of the firm. After navigating several hundred candidates for the opportunity, we’re excited to welcome Madelyn O’Farrell and Derrek Li to the Dynamo Ventures team!

If you’re in NYC, email Madelyn at madelyn@dynamo.vc to meet up!

Madelyn was originally exposed to startups in Seoul, South Korea, and has been focused on finding and supporting strong entrepreneurs since then. She brings with her three years of experience in venture investment. Most recently, she was at Flat World Partners for two years focused on both direct and indirect investments related to climate, health, and edtech.

In getting to know Madelyn, it was interesting to hear how keen she is in mastering the “niche” that is supply chain and recognizing the importance of specialization at the pre-seed and seed stage. We love people who have other interests and are particularly excited for Madelyn to show off her culinary talents for the team.

If you’re in SF, email Derrek at derrek@dynamo.vc to meet up!

Derrek complements Madelyn with a background in consulting and startup operations. Most recently, he was at Stripe for three years supporting GTM and product teams responsible for the newest features on the Stripe platform. It’s this experience that piqued Derrek’s interest in the “0 to 1 phase”, and got him excited about transitioning his career into VC.

In building repertoire with Derrek, it is clear to us that he consistently asks super thoughtful questions and is able to lean into the parallels between financial services and supply chain as he seeks to grow his understanding and knowledge of supply chain technology. We’ve also come to find that Derrek is a big sports fan and are excited to add an NBA enthusiast to our crew of college football and (in Jon’s case) soccer fans!

We’re excited to celebrate this exciting milestone at Dynamo with the addition of Madelyn and Derrek to the team as we grow our franchise and firm. As this dynamic duo ramps on, you can expect to find them at upcoming VC and industry events, leading efforts to explore new thesis areas, and engaging with founders.

Madelyn and Derrek, it’s great to have you on the team 😊⚡.

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