Seattle-based venture capital firm Ascend has named Jen Haller as partner.
Haller, who joined Ascend in January 2022 as the firm's chief of staff. Haller guides founders and manages Ascend's internal operations, according to the company.
“What’s unique about the new title is that it serves as a recognition of the role I play in broadening Ascend’s offerings as an early-stage venture capital firm,” Haller said in a news release.
Haller spent almost three years as people operations manager at the Seattle-based machine learning startup Attunely before joining Ascend, her LinkedIn page shows. Earlier in her career, she spent four years as office manager of the taser and body camera company Axon. She oversaw the Seattle office buildout from 20 to 150 people, according to Ascend.
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Haller was also reportedly the first person to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, in March 2020, when researchers were still conducting clinical trials on the nascent vaccine, which didn't reach the general public until the following year.
Ascend was founded in 2019. The firm focuses on pre-seed investments, according to its website, with its preferred investments ranging from $250,000 to $750,000. Ascend targets artificial intelligence and machine learning companies. In May, the firm raised $25 million for its second fund.
On its website, Ascend says its limited partners "are a diverse group of technology leaders, financiers and entrepreneurs." Ascend has invested in the Seattle-based software startup Avante, the Bellevue-based health care chatbot company Outbound AI, and the Bellevue-based e-commerce startup Foundation.
“Jen is an absolute force-multiplier for Ascend,” Kirby Winfield, founding general partner at Ascend, said in a release. “On top of working closely with our portfolio companies, she has fostered a sense of community in the Seattle tech sector through hosting events, volunteering and making thoughtful introductions.”
