# Jake Miller

> Jake Miller is the founder of Fellow, a San Francisco-based premium coffee gear company known for design-forward products like the Stagg EKG electric kettle, Ode Brew Grinder, and Carter Move Mug. He launched Fellow as a Stanford MBA class project in 2013, weathered 73 investor rejections and a failed first product, before building a nine-figure consumer brand sold in 45+ countries and backed by $42M in funding. Miller's mission is to transform everyday coffee routines into meaningful rituals by bridging the gap between specialty roasters and home baristas.

- **Role:** Founder at Fellow
- **Organizations:** Fellow
- **From:** Minnesota, United States
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Bachelor's in Marketing, University of Saint Thomas, MBA, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Launchpad course (design thinking), Stanford d.School (Hasso Plattner Institute of Design)
- **Known for:** Built Fellow into a nine-figure coffee gear company sold in 45+ countries, Raised $42M+ total funding including $30M Series B in 2022, Products featured in SFMOMA and NY MoMA museum stores

## Career timeline

- **pre-2011** — Worked in home remodeling; left after 18 months feeling insufficiently obsessed
- **2008-2011** — Brand Manager at Caribou Coffee, Minneapolis; traveled to coffee-producing countries, worked with roast masters
- **2011-2013** — MBA at Stanford GSB; interned at Enlisted Design (product design agency, Oakland)
- **2013** — Founded Fellow as Stanford d.School class project; launched Duo Coffee Steeper on Kickstarter, raising ~$200K
- **2013-2014** — Fulfilled Kickstarter backers after 15 months; spent $330K to fulfill $200K in orders; product scrapped
- **2014-2015** — Survived 73 angel/VC rejections; secured $250K angel investment; pivoted product line
- **2015** — Launched Stagg Pour-Over Kettle
- **2016** — Launched Stagg EKG Electric Kettle; sold ~$500K after Kickstarter success
- **2017** — Opened San Francisco flagship store
- **2019** — Launched Ode Brew Grinder via Kickstarter, raising over $1M
- **2021** — Closed Series A at $7.6M (entirely angel investors); launched Fellow Drops text-to-order coffee service
- **2022** — Closed Series B at $30M led by NextWorld Evergreen; investor Peter Fenton (Benchmark) joined
- **2023** — Opened Venice Beach retail location; launched Opus Conical Burr Grinder and Tally Scale
- **2024** — Launched Aiden Precision Coffee Maker ($365), a 10-cup programmable thermal carafe machine
- **2026** — Fortune profiles Fellow as a nine-figure company; Jake reflects on 73 rejections and persistence

## Achievements

- Built Fellow into a nine-figure coffee gear company sold in 45+ countries
- Raised $42M+ total funding including $30M Series B in 2022
- Products featured in SFMOMA and NY MoMA museum stores
- Ode Brew Grinder raised over $1M on Kickstarter (2019)
- Stagg EKG Electric Kettle won multiple design awards including Red Dot Design Award
- Won Dezeen Awards for product design
- Distribution in Williams-Sonoma, Crate & Barrel, Nordstrom, Sur la Table
- Opened flagship retail locations in San Francisco (2017) and Venice Beach (2023)
- Grew Fellow to 130+ employees
- Bootstrapped Fellow for 8 years before institutional funding

## Latest updates

- **2026-01** — Fortune profiles Jake Miller and Fellow as a nine-figure company; article focuses on his 73 investor rejections and persistence philosophy
- **2024-01** — Fellow launches Aiden Precision Coffee Maker, a $365 programmable 10-cup machine targeting home drip coffee lovers
- **2023-06** — Fellow opens second retail location in Venice Beach, California
- **2023-01** — Fellow launches Opus Conical Burr Grinder (sub-$200) and Tally Scale, expanding accessible product line
- **2022-06** — Fellow closes $30M Series B led by NextWorld Evergreen with Benchmark's Peter Fenton participating

## Links

- Website: https://fellowproducts.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-miller-5273443/
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/fellowproducts
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/for_heavens_jake/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fellowproducts/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/jake-miller
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-26