Yoko Okano
Yoko Okano is a Founding Partner at First Row Partners and a pre-seed investor with a background in product leadership. She is a Stanford graduate and previously worked at Google.
Seattle Tech Week 2024 Draws ~75 Events, Organizers Thank JP Morgan, Ascend, Google Cloud and Sarah Studer
Seattle Tech Week 2024 featured about 75 events that brought together founders, investors, and startups, showcasing Seattle as a vibrant tech hub. Organizers thanked hosts, sponsors (including JP Morgan, Ascend, Google Cloud), community builder Sarah Studer, and noted the program expanded from last year with spillover weekend activities and large community turnout.
Seattle Angel Conference Trains New Angel Investors; $6,000 Each Pooled into SAC Fund to Back Startups
John Sechrest’s Seattle Angel Conference (SAC) is a 13-year, cohort-based program that trains accredited investors through hands-on investing: each participant puts $6,000 into a shared LLC fund, evaluates startup pitches over three months, and decides collectively which companies to back. SAC has graduated about 700 investor participants, helped populate local angel groups with alumni, and emphasizes practical learning, networking, and clarifying investment priorities.
Washington D.C. Startup Standd Wins $160,000 Top Prize at First Row Partners' Inaugural Ensemble Fund Competition
Standd, a Washington D.C. startup led by CEO Julie Saltman, won over $160,000 as the top prize in First Row Partners' inaugural Ensemble Fund competition, which supports early-stage startups and educates investors. The competition reviewed 125 applications and included 17 investors, half of whom were women, emphasizing relationship-building and investor education.
First Row Partners Launches $150K–$200K Startup Competition to Revive Pacific Northwest Angel Investing
Seattle venture capital firm First Row Partners has launched The Ensemble Event Fund, a startup competition offering $150,000–$200,000 to early-stage companies nationwide, aiming to revitalize the Pacific Northwest's angel investor network. The competition engages over 15 angel investors to boost capital deployment amid declining venture funding and a shrinking local angel community.
2048 Ventures Hires Seattle Investor Minda Brusse to Lead Pre-Seed Sourcing in Seattle and Portland
NYC-based 2048 Ventures has hired Seattle investor Minda Brusse as a venture partner to source pre-seed investments in Seattle and Portland while she remains at First Row Partners; 2048 launched last year with a $27 million fund and has backed 29 companies.
Organizations
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University of Washington Master of Science in Entrepreneurship Lecturer 2022–present · current
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Crosscut Scout 2021–present · current
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Find Ventures Advisory Board Member 2021–present · current
Education
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Stanford University B.A., Music (History)
