Keynote Speaker

Steve Miller - (BADM ’87)

Steven N. Miller, BADM ’87

Founding Partner, Origin Ventures

Steven N. Miller is a Founding Partner of Origin Ventures, a venture capital firm investing in early stage technology companies. He was instrumental in growing the firm from zero to over $300 Million in assets under management, and served in the boardrooms of portfolio companies GrubHub, Backlot Cars, DialogTech, and Shoutlet. Prior to starting Origin in 1999, he spent 10 years at Quill Corporation, his family’s office products business. He grew the company’s first website from zero to $15 million in annual revenue. In 1998, the Miller family sold Quill to Staples.

Steve has dedicated himself to many varied causes across education, civics, medical research, the arts, and the Jewish community. He has held board roles at Boys Hope Girls Hope, OneGoal, Better Government Association, Victory Gardens Theater, and the Jewish United Fund. Since 2018, Steve and his wife Diane's philanthropic focus has been on medical research through the Misophonia Research Fund, which they founded.

Steve received his bachelor’s degree in marketing from Gies College of Business in 1987. He was on the Dean’s Business Council for almost 20 years, serving a term as its chair. He is a longtime trustee and benefactor of Illini Hillel. He served on the Chancellor’s Advisory Council on Jewish and Campus Life from 2021-2023. He and Diane provide funding for the Steven N. Miller Entrepreneurial Scholarships, the Diane N. and Steven N. Miller Centennial Chair in Business, and the Origin Ventures Office of Entrepreneurship. He is also a major donor to the Fighting Illini athletics program.

In 2014, Steve received the Richard J. Daley Medal from the Illinois Venture Capital Association. In 2017 he received the Goodwin Watchdog Award from the Better Government Association, as well as the Alumni Appreciation Award from the Gies Business Alumni Association.