Dave Maren
BIO
At Oxford he studied under Wally Olins (perhaps the world’s most experienced practitioner of branding), who once asked, “If branding can, in its strange, illogical, emotional way, encourage people to develop a close rapport with soft drinks, hamburgers and running shoes, what will it be able to do when its power is released for genuinely significant and worthwhile activities?”
Much of Dave’s work has been devoted to answering that question. At Oxford he founded a social enterprise that puts the powers of branding to work in making online giving a delightful and contagious user experience for the donor. His venture has received several awards and honors. Among them, his was one of four ventures nominated for funding when Oxford’s business school hosted its first-ever venture fund competition.