Laila Keith
Founders Fund is an American venture capital fund formed in 2005 and based in San Francisco. The fund has a history of investing in companies that build revolutionary technologies, with a portfolio that includes prominent technology companies such as PayPal, Facebook, SpaceX, and Palantir Technologies. Founders Fund has raised several funds since its inception, with its aggregate capital under management exceeding $11 billion as of 2023. The firm is a generalist investor, deploying capital across all sectors, stages, and geographies. Founders Fund provides an opportunity for accredited investors to buy pre-IPO stock and invest in private companies, offering potential diversification and access to high-growth potential.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Firm | Venture Capital |
| Location | San Francisco, California, United States |
| Year Established | 2005 |
| Total Assets Under Management (as of 2023) | $12 billion |
| Industries Invested In | Aerospace, Artificial Intelligence, Advanced Computing, Energy, Health, Consumer Internet |
| Types of Investments | Debt, Early Stage Venture, Grant, Late Stage Venture, Private Equity, Seed |
| Notable Investments | PayPal, Facebook, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), Palantir Technologies, Anduril Industries |
What You'll Learn
Founders Fund's investment portfolio
Founders Fund is a San Francisco-based venture capital firm that invests in companies with revolutionary technologies. Founders Fund was formed in 2005 and has raised five funds with more than $2 billion in aggregate capital under management. The firm has historically invested in a wide variety of sectors, including aerospace, artificial intelligence, advanced computing, energy, health, and consumer Internet.
Founders Fund has been an investor, founder, and early employee of prominent technology companies including PayPal, Facebook, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), and Palantir Technologies. The firm has also been mentioned in the news for its involvement in defense venture capital and its leadership in funding to Black-founded startups.
Some of the companies in the Founders Fund portfolio include Applied Molecular Transport, The Climate Corporation, and the Long-Term Stock Exchange.
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Founders Fund's investment strategy
Founders Fund is a San Francisco-based venture capital firm that invests in companies with revolutionary technologies. It was formed in 2005 and has since raised eight funds, with more than $11 billion in total assets under management as of 2023.
The firm has historically invested in a wide variety of sectors, including aerospace, artificial intelligence, advanced computing, energy, health, and consumer Internet. It is considered a generalist firm, investing in companies across all sectors, stages, and geographies. Founders Fund was the first institutional investor in Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) and Palantir Technologies and an early investor in Facebook.
The firm's partners have been founders, early employees, and investors in prominent technology companies, including PayPal, Palantir Technologies, Anduril Industries, and SpaceX. The list of current and former partners includes Peter Thiel (founder and former CEO and chairman of PayPal), Ken Howery (founder and former CFO of PayPal), Kevin Hartz (co-founder of Eventbrite), and Sean Parker (co-founder of Napster and Facebook's first president).
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Founders Fund's history
Founders Fund is an American venture capital fund formed in 2005 and based in San Francisco. The fund was started by Peter Thiel, Ken Howery, and Luke Nosek, and has since grown to include 13 partners, including Brian Singerman, the creator of iGoogle.
The firm has a history of investing in companies with revolutionary technologies, with a focus on sectors such as aerospace, artificial intelligence, advanced computing, energy, health, and consumer Internet. Founders Fund was the first institutional investor in Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) and Palantir Technologies, and an early investor in Facebook. The firm's partners have been founders, early employees, and investors at prominent technology companies, including PayPal, SpaceX, and Anduril Industries.
Over the years, Founders Fund has raised several funds, with increasing amounts of committed capital. In 2010, the firm raised its third fund with $250 million in committed capital, and in 2011, it raised a fourth fund with $625 million. In 2014, the fund raised $1 billion, bringing its aggregate capital under management to more than $2 billion. Founders Fund has continued to raise funds and, as of 2023, has roughly $12 billion in total assets under management.
The firm has a diverse investment portfolio, including companies such as Airbnb, Facebook, Lyft, Spotify, and Stripe. It has also shown a commitment to investing in private companies, which can offer investors the potential for portfolio diversification and high returns.
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Founders Fund's partners
Founders Fund is a venture capital firm that was formed in 2005 and is based in San Francisco. The firm has a history of investing in companies that are building revolutionary technologies. It has raised several funds since its inception, with the most recent one in 2020, bringing its aggregate capital under management to over $6 billion.
The firm's partners have been founders, early employees, and investors at prominent technology companies. As of winter 2023, the firm had thirteen partners, including:
- Peter Thiel, founder and former CEO and chairman of PayPal
- Brian Singerman, creator of iGoogle
- Ken Howery, founder and former CFO of PayPal
- Kevin Hartz, co-founder of Eventbrite
- Sean Parker, co-founder of Napster and Facebook's first president
- Bruce Gibney, founder and author
- Geoff Lewis, co-founder of Bedrock
The firm's investments include a diverse range of sectors, such as aerospace, artificial intelligence, advanced computing, energy, health, and consumer Internet. Some of the notable companies they have invested in include SpaceX, Facebook, Palantir Technologies, Airbnb, Spotify, and Stripe.
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Founders Fund's investment process
Founders Fund is a venture capital firm that was formed in 2005 and is based in San Francisco. The fund has a history of investing in companies that are building revolutionary technologies, with a focus on a wide variety of sectors including aerospace, artificial intelligence, advanced computing, energy, health, and consumer Internet.
The firm has raised several funds since its inception, with more than $2 billion in aggregate capital under management as of 2014. Founders Fund was an early investor in prominent technology companies such as Facebook, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), and Palantir Technologies. It was also the first institutional investor in SpaceX and Palantir.
The investment process for Founders Fund typically involves investing at every stage of a company's development, from seed to late-stage venture capital. The firm has a generalist approach and invests across all sectors, stages, and geographies. Founders Fund also provides private equity and debt funding.
To invest with Founders Fund, accredited investors can buy pre-IPO stock through investment platforms such as EquityZen, which allow existing shareholders to sell their shares. This provides an opportunity for investors to diversify their portfolios, access potential growth, and achieve high potential returns. However, it is important to note that investing in private companies also carries risks.
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Frequently asked questions
Founders Fund is an American venture capital fund formed in 2005 and based in San Francisco. The fund has roughly $12 billion in total assets under management as of 2023.
Founders Fund is a generalist firm investing in companies across all sectors, stages, and geographies. The firm has historically invested in a wide variety of sectors, including aerospace, artificial intelligence, advanced computing, energy, health, and consumer Internet.
Founders Fund raises funds from individual entrepreneurs and angel investors. In 2005, they raised their first fund of $50 million. In 2014, they raised a $1 billion fifth suite of funds, bringing their aggregate capital under management to more than $2 billion.
Founders Fund was the first institutional investor in Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) and Palantir Technologies, and an early investor in Facebook. Other companies they have invested in include Airbnb, Anduril, Armada, DeepMind, Lyft, Flexport, Spotify, Stripe, Wish, Neuralink, Nubank, and Twilio.
Accredited investors can buy pre-IPO stock in Founders Fund through EquityZen funds. These investments are made available by existing Founders Fund shareholders who sell their shares on the EquityZen platform.
