Jacob Colvin, or Jake as his family and friends know him, is a Utah native and proud father of three. As a lifelong student of diverse studies, he has delved extensively into the humanities, arts, and the sciences, focusing on kid’s health through social innovation and entrepreneurship.
After graduating from Hillcrest High School in 2003, where he was heavily involved in choir, acting, the sciences, and in attempting sports :), he attended Brigham Young University, enjoying singing with the BYU’s Men’s Chorus and other auditioned groups (Thanks Dr. Bentley!). He also served for two years as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the Warsaw, Poland Mission, requiring him to learn a new language and culture that had been completely foreign to him. This experience helped cement his love of different cultures and peoples, setting the stage for years of opportunities and service.
Returning to BYU, he was able to use Polish both professionally and academically, and as an undergraduate student was hired as adjunct faculty by the Center for Language Studies, teaching Poland’s history, culture, and language. He expanded the Polish program over the next 6 years, continuing to study the language and culture at BYU and at the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Poland, where he gained a greater understanding and respect for those with different backgrounds.
His love of the Polish people and language ultimately led him to complete his bachelor’s degree in European Studies, with an emphasis in International Management, also completing a minor in Chemistry. His primary academic focus was on the sciences, allowing him to work in several research labs, including cancer research at BYU and creating healthcare solutions and new potential treatments through early drug development and pharmaceutical research at Oregon State University’s Pharmacy College.
At this same time, Jake continued to perform in the arts and enjoyed participating in multiple spring and summer operas and in BYU’s auditioned choirs, where he met the love of his life, his beautiful (tall!) wife. (Jake is 6’7”). His spare time was spent volunteering as an instructor and officer in BYU’s sailing club, through which he also helped establish Utah County’s first Sea Scout Ship – a sailing program similar to the Boy Scouts of America for youth, where he enjoyed teaching the boys, and many others, life lessons through sailing.
As a cap-stone to his studies, Jake was a BYU 2012 Crocker Innovation Fellow, combining his love of the sciences, healthcare, creativity, and his desires to serve and solve real-world problems, to co-found the company Owlet Baby Care. Owlet’s primary mission was to provide new parents with greater peace of mind through technology, acquiring actionable data to better care for their infants. Owlet became the world leader in infant wearable tech and has provided peace of mind to now over a million parents worldwide, with thousands of lives potentially saved as the device alerted parents to a serious situation, including with Jake’s own youngest son. Jake spent a majority of time in homes with families, helping solve their needs, and in building a network of charitable organizations, providing low and middle income families around the US and the world access to life-saving technology for their infants.
In 2019, Jake left Owlet, having launched the company on multiple continents and built networks and relationships with like-minded individuals which still serve him today. Owlet also led to further opportunities for higher learning, including brief studies at the Saïd Business School, at Oxford University, an executive certificate in international global business management, and graduating from the Goldman Sachs 10K Small Businesses Program. Owlet successfully went public earlier this year (2021).
Currently Jake is building a unique US/Hong Kong collaborative, aiming to solve additional global health problems through fundamentally redesigned health tech and medical devices geared for the lowest income and hardest to reach populations. Every year over one million infants are born with congenital heart defects throughout the world, and millions more are exposed to life-threatening respiratory illnesses like pneumonia or, more recently, COVID-19.
Bloom Standard’s low cost technology will empower front-line and rural health workers with essential screening and diagnostic tools where currently none are available, with the potential to save hundreds of thousands of lives.
Jake attributes his success to faith, an inward drive to never quit, and especially his loving and supportive family.
Statement of Acceptance:
I am truly humbled by this honor. I loved my time at Hillcrest and know it set me on a path to succeed and to serve others. Hillcrest was and is a special place of learning and growth, and while I may never get to walk through its old hallways, the lessons learned and character built have impacted the rest of my life. Hillcrest gave me a voice – as a very shy person, it gave me the confidence to do hard things and to try. In reflecting on my time there, there were a few key lessons that deeply influenced me and have stayed with me that I want to share with all the current students and alumni alike:
“Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up!”
- Coaches Merrill, Bowser, and Takeno
Share the passion and music that is in your soul – in harmony with others.
- Dr. Brian Bentley and Mr. Daniels
Inspire others (and stand up straight).
- Robyn Mousley
Work hard; do your best; be creative.
- Mr. Merrill
Love and serve your fellow women and mankind. We’re all brothers and sisters and need each other.
- Brother Grayson Butler and Brother Kevin Wasson
I see this award not as an accolade for a job well done, but as an invitation and even calling to keep striving in meaningful endeavors. Thank you Hillcrest!