TR Harrington is a Partner at SOSV and Director of Growth at Orbit Startups, one of the earliest and most active multi-stage venture investor in software and internet for frontier developing markets. Before joining Orbit, The was a serial entrepreneur, angel investor, and startup mentor.

👋🏼 How would you explain your job to someone outside tech?

Orbit Startups is an internet and software venture investor who helps startups solve one of the biggest growth challenges - user acquisition.

Rather than 'blitz scale' investor capital on Facebook and Google-based user acquisition, the Orbit ecosystem offers a unique model of FREE user acquisition via revenue share.

We achieve this in two ways: 1) cross-promotion with our portfolio of 150M MAUs (and growing) and 2) business matching with our 200+ corporate partners like Samsung, Jio, Unilever and L'Oreal.

🧐 What's something about you or your job that would surprise us?

All of the operating partners at Orbit used to work part-time for free as mentors, myself beginning in 2014, some as early as 2010.

Partners in the Orbit program are so passionate about helping startups that we decided to join Orbit and help startups full-time.

🏆 What has been the biggest highlight of your career so far?

What I am most proud of to date was learning how to build a high-performing team in a foreign language, foreign culture, and hypercompetitive market in China.

I learned a lot of painful and positive lessons. Achieving an exit as an entrepreneur in China was less a testament to my own ability than it was to the quality of our Chinese team, many of whom have gone on to even greater achievements.

🔍 What's a startup trend or space you're watching this year?‍

We have invested in multiple gig worker markets that have been successful in environmental protection (Octopus, ID), SAAS sales to mom-and-pop shops (Digi Khata, 1M+ stores, PK), and gig worker sourcing for brands (MyRobin, ID; PickMyWork; IN).

We are looking for similar investments in developing frontier markets (Middle East, Africa, etc.) as well as Web3 work-to-earn (vs. play-to-earn).

💼 What advice would you give someone starting out in your industry?

Optimize career choices for learning opportunities. Go work for a high-growth, scaling startup. Found a business. Become a mentor. Share your experience.

🗣 What's one thing you can keep talking about for hours?

I am a data geek. I think data is sexy. Fun fact - through my network, I was invited in as part of the team that introduced Hollywood actress Jessica Alba and The Honest Company to Alibaba's TMall team. While everyone else in the room (including the Alibaba executives) was lining up for selfies with Jessica Alba, my eyes were transfixed on the 16 screens of live ECOM data up on the dashboard wall.

🎥 What's your favorite movie/TV show?

Star Wars #5 - The Empire Strikes Back. Yoda knows startups "Do or do not, there is no try."

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🍨 What's your go-to ice cream flavor?‍

NotCo "Salted Caramel Wave" (from SOSV-backed IndieBio). Indulging my childhood memories with a vegan, planet-friendly alternative.