Jeff Freeland Nelson
director of venture investments
Jeff Freeland Nelson invests in the future of media and journalism as the Director of Venture Investments at American Public Media Group, where he leads the Horizon Fund, APMG’s corporate venture capital fund that backs a new generation of media, technology, and news startups.
Beyond his investment work, Jeff is the founder of YOX, a creative toy company featured on the TODAY Show and Fox & Friends, and has invented products carried by many major retailers across North America. He holds four U.S. patents and has founded two nonprofit organizations — rounding out a track record as an entrepreneur, inventor, advisor, and board member across the startup ecosystem.
Jeff also hosts AI-Proof, an occasional podcast for parents and educators navigating the implications of artificial intelligence for their kids' future.
He is the recipient of the Catalytic Leader Award from the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and has been a fellow of the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, the German Marshall Fund, and the Bush Foundation Leadership Fellows program. He holds a BA from Hamline University and an MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School.