John James

Ex-physician who raised $100 million VC as ecommerce founder. Now board member, early stage investor, and consultant.

📍 Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States🔄 Updated September 2026💼 2 investments📅 11 years investing🗓 Last invested Jan 2017
VC🌍 United States
2
Total investments
2
Early stage
0
Mid stage
0
Late stage
11y
Years active

Portfolio

2 investments · sorted by recency
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Late stage
Co-Founder / Investor
Jan 2017
Engine is an eCommerce platform focused on conversion & content We're building the platform for vertically integrated, digitally native brands. The Engine platform is designed for the eCommerce landscape of the 2020s. Built by industry veterans, we’ve created Engine to make growing your business online a scalable, straightforward process. Engine is what we wish we had when we built our hundred million dollar eCommerce company. After being in the trenches for nearly two decades, we believe Engine is the cloud-hosted solution that digitally native, vertically integrated brands need. Engine is a solution that goes far beyond simply being a portal for your consumer to transact with your brand. We believe the future of eCommerce is a truly unique consumer experience that you build with your consumer, not a cut and paste solution. By strategically positioning ourselves next to a top class research university, as well as the largest retailer in world we are able to build Engine for the future. Drawing from both digitally native brands, as well as brands with massive historical data and decades of relevance, our promise is to continue to build Engine for what you need today and tomorrow. Simply put, Engine is a cloud based eCommerce platform focused on creating the best experience for both merchants and consumers.
Board Member / First Investor
Mar 2015
Powering your schools identity. Our technology helps K-12 leaders and civic leaders power their brand and deliver the best communication experience to all stakeholders. Our school marketing magazine, SchoolCEO, is a resource for school leaders to share their best and most innovative ideas. Read our quarterly magazine at schoolceo.com.
Experience · 7 entries
All (7)
Investments (1)
Founder (6)
Board (1)
2017
Co-Founder / Investor
Jan 2017
Engine is an eCommerce platform focused on conversion & content We're building the platform for vertically integrated, digitally native brands. The Engine platform is designed for the eCommerce landscape of the 2020s. Built by industry veterans, we’ve created Engine to make growing your business online a scalable, straightforward process. Engine is what we wish we had when we built our hundred million dollar eCommerce company. After being in the trenches for nearly two decades, we believe Engine is the cloud-hosted solution that digitally native, vertically integrated brands need. Engine is a solution that goes far beyond simply being a portal for your consumer to transact with your brand. We believe the future of eCommerce is a truly unique consumer experience that you build with your consumer, not a cut and paste solution. By strategically positioning ourselves next to a top class research university, as well as the largest retailer in world we are able to build Engine for the future. Drawing from both digitally native brands, as well as brands with massive historical data and decades of relevance, our promise is to continue to build Engine for what you need today and tomorrow. Simply put, Engine is a cloud based eCommerce platform focused on creating the best experience for both merchants and consumers.
2015
Board Member / First Investor
Mar 2015
Powering your schools identity. Our technology helps K-12 leaders and civic leaders power their brand and deliver the best communication experience to all stakeholders. Our school marketing magazine, SchoolCEO, is a resource for school leaders to share their best and most innovative ideas. Read our quarterly magazine at schoolceo.com.
Founder / CEO
Jan 2015
Hayseed Ventures is a VC Production Studio located in Northwest Arkansas. We’re looking to change the face of startups in Northwest Arkansas and to cultivate a culture of entrepreneurship in beautiful downtown Fayetteville. Working at Hayseed, you’ll never have a dull moment. In a constantly changing environment, you’ll be building and working with multiple startups every day. If you like challenging technical problems and working quickly to grow and scale the big-name startups of tomorrow, Hayseed Ventures is the place for you.
2009
Acumen Holdings
Founder / CEO
Jan 2009
2003
Legal Sense Publishing
Founder
Jun 2003
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