Joe Schmidt

Partner

2021 - Current

Investing in category-defining software, fintech, and insurtech businesses. Lucky to work with founders from Treeline, hyperexponential, Stoik, Chestnut, Payall, District Cover, Topkey, TipTop. Cofounded and initial capital in Chestnut and District Cover. Long form writing: - Hell's Flywheel: https://a16z.com/2022/11/10/escaping-hells-flywheel-building-non-inflationary-distribution-channels/ - Bat Out of Hell: https://a16z.com/2023/05/18/identifying-your-durable-advantage-in-fintech/ - Cross border payments: https://a16z.com/2022/09/15/its-all-about-the-money-movement-simplifying-cross-border-payments/ - Default global: https://a16z.com/2022/07/20/the-company-of-the-future-is-default-global/ - Freemium OS: https://a16z.com/2022/02/28/saas-%e2%86%92-freemium-os-a-new-wedge-for-financial-services-fintech-february-newsletter/ - Consumer wealth management: https://a16z.com/finding-the-leading-wealth-management-offerings-of-tomorrow/ -JPM & Global Shares: https://a16z.com/2022/06/02/what-founders-should-know-about-raising-debt-may-2022-fintech-newsletter/ - Vertical Operating Systems: https://a16z.com/2023/04/06/vertical-operating-systems-one-system-of-record-to-rule-them-all/ - Generative AI is coming for insurance: https://a16z.com/2023/05/31/generative-ai-is-coming-for-insurance-may-2023-fintech-newsletter/ - Putting Data in a Corner: https://a16z.com/putting-data-in-a-corner-llms-and-financial-services-data/

Vice President of Business Development

2019 - 2021

I joined the company after helping lead the investment @ Accel. During my time with Ethos, we built the business from ~15 employees to ~250 employees and nearly a $3bn valuation. It was a blast. I was responsible for (at one point or another) - starting and scaling our agent business from 0 to 15k agents & tens of millions in revenue - running our sales teams for our b2b and b2c business - carrier and reinsurer BD - new product development

Angel Investor

2019 - 2021

Early stage investing in consumer, fintech/insurtech, and software businesses. clearcover.com, luko.eu, macro.io, onaroll.co, coveranceis.com, super.mx, junokids.com, azos.com.br, shepherd, luva, trustlayer.io, bezel, oyster

Investor

2016 - 2019

Venture and growth investing in enterprise software, consumer internet, and financial services businesses. Built Accel's thesis on insurtech.

Cohost of The Jack Swarbrick Show

2015 - 2016

The Jack Swarbrick Show was a weekly radio show where Jack Swarbrick, Vice President and Athletic Director, and Joe Schmidt talked Notre Dame Athletics and interviewed two guests. The show was taped and available to be viewed on https://www.linkedin.com/redir/phishing-page?url=watchnd%2ecom while also airing in the Chicago, Indianapolis, and South Bend radio markets.

Investment Office - Buser Fellow

2015 - 2016