About Founders Fund
Founders Fund is a venture capital firm founded in 2005. It is primarily based out of San Francisco, United States. As of May 2026, Founders Fund is an active investor, having invested in 558 companies, with 25 new investments in the last 12 months. It primarily invests in Series A round in United States based startups. Its investments are spread across a wide range of sectors from Enterprise Applications to High Tech and Consumer. Most recently it participated in the $***** Series B round of Armada Overall, Founders Fund portfolio has seen 51 unicorns, 28 IPOs and 129 acquisitions including key companies like Nubank, Affirm and Lyft. A lot of funds co-invest with Founders Fund, with names like Andreessen Horowitz sharing a substantial percentage of its portfolio. Founders Fund has team of 34 people including 20 partners.Key Metrics
Team Members
Portfolio Sectors
Portfolio Locations
Rounds of Entry
Series A, Seed & 8 more
Portfolio Acquisitions
Deals in last 12 months
Founders Fund's List of Top Investments
Founders Fund has a portfolio of 558 companies, including 51 unicorns. Their most notable investments are in Run The World and Royal.Their portfolio spans across United States, United Kingdom, Germany and 24 more locations. They have invested in Enterprise Applications, High Tech, Consumer and 36 other sectors, across stages such as Series A, Seed and 8 more. Here is the list of top investments by Founders Fund:
1. Nubank
Provider of digital banking services, including credit cards and accounts. It offers various financial solutions through its application. These solutions include tools for managing money and protecting finances. The company focuses on providing accessible and straightforward banking experiences.
Key facts about Nubank
- Founded Year: 2013
- Location: Sao Paulo (Brazil)
- Annual Revenue: €46.6B as on Dec 31, 2024
- Stage: Public
- Total Funding till date: $2.27B
- Employee Count: 11,551 as on Mar 31, 2026
- Investors: TCV, Harvest Growth Capital and 39 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series G, Jun 08, 2021, $*****
- Highlight: Public
2. OpenAI
Developer of artificial intelligence models tools and research-driven platforms. The company conducts AI research and deploys large-scale models for language, vision, audio and multimodal tasks, with the goal of creating artificial general intelligence that benefits humanity. Its portfolio includes generative models such as the GPT series for text, multimodal interaction systems, and other APIs and applications that developers and enterprises integrate into products, workflows and services.
Key facts about OpenAI
- Founded Year: 2015
- Location: San Francisco (United States)
- Valuation: $*****
- Stage: Series G
- Total Funding till date: $180B
- Employee Count: 8,821 as on Apr 30, 2026
- Investors: Glynn Capital, Fidelity Investments and 70 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series G, Apr 22, 2026, $*****
- Highlight: Editors' Pick
3. Affirm
Provider of point of sale financing solutions for consumers and merchants. It facilitates payment plans with transparent terms and no hidden fees. The company provides options for consumers to pay over time at various retailers. It offers a mobile application and browser extension to manage payments.
Key facts about Affirm
- Founded Year: 2012
- Location: San Francisco (United States)
- Annual Revenue: $3.22B as on Jun 30, 2025
- Stage: Public
- Total Funding till date: $1.22B
- Employee Count: 3,106 as on Apr 30, 2026
- Investors: HTIF, Fidelity Investments and 40 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series G, Sep 17, 2020, $*****
- Highlight: Public
4. Lyft
Network facilitating on-demand transportation and ride scheduling services for individuals. It provides options for immediate rides, scheduled pickups, and various vehicle types. The network offers programs for business transportation needs. It also focuses on safety measures and community support initiatives.
Key facts about Lyft
- Founded Year: 2007
- Location: San Francisco (United States)
- Stage: Public
- Total Funding till date: $5.02B
- Employee Count: 3,913 as on Dec 31, 2025
- Investors: HTIF, Kaplan Group Investments and 161 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series I, Aug 06, 2018, $*****
- Highlight: Public
5. Airbnb
Provider of accommodations, experiences, and related services through an online platform. The platform facilitates connections between hosts and individuals seeking lodging and activities. It offers a variety of options for stays and curated experiences. The platform also provides resources for individuals interested in becoming hosts.
Key facts about Airbnb
- Founded Year: 2008
- Location: San Francisco (United States)
- Annual Revenue: $12.2B as on Dec 31, 2025
- Stage: Public
- Total Funding till date: $3.07B
- Employee Count: 69,846 as on Mar 31, 2026
- Investors: TrueBridge, Fidelity Investments and 157 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series E, Apr 06, 2020, $*****
- Highlight: Public
Founders Fund's Year-on-Year Investment Trends
Founders Fund has invested in 558 companies over the last 21 years, with an average of 35 new investments annually in the last 10 years. In 2025, it made 62 investments, while as of May 2026, it has made 20 investments in this year. Its most recent first time investment was in Roadrunner and most recent follow-on round was in Armada.Year | No. of Investments | ||
|---|---|---|---|
1st Round | Follow-on | Total | |
2026 (YTD) | 10 | 10 | 20 |
2025 | 21 | 41 | 62 |
2024 | 20 | 20 | 40 |
2023 | 27 | 16 | 43 |
2022 | 53 | 33 | 86 |
2021 | 62 | 54 | 116 |
2020 | 38 | 24 | 62 |
2019 | 43 | 22 | 65 |
2018 | 40 | 19 | 59 |
2017 | 21 | 16 | 37 |
Founders Fund's Investments by Stage
Founders Fund has made 212 investments in Series A stage with an average round size of $16.3M, 179 investments in Seed stage with an average round size of $6.63M and 82 investments in Series B stage with an average round size of $43.3M.Stage of entry | No. of Investments |
|---|---|
Series A | 212 |
Seed | 179 |
Series B | 82 |
Series C | 37 |
Series D | 11 |
Others | 13 |
Note: We have considered here, only first round of investments
Founders Fund's Investments by Sector
Founders Fund has a diverse portfolio, with companies operating in the Enterprise Applications, Consumer, High Tech, FinTech and HealthTech. Notably, it has invested in 503 Tech companies, 334 Enterprise (B2B) companies, 299 Software companies and at least 230 companies focusing on Consumer (B2C).Sector | No. of Investments |
|---|---|
Enterprise Applications | 220 |
Consumer | 141 |
High Tech | 129 |
FinTech | 83 |
HealthTech | 63 |
Others | 661 |
Note: We have considered here, only first round of investments
Founders Fund's Investments by Geography
Founders Fund has made most investments in United States (457), followed by United Kingdom where it has made 10 investments.Country | No. of Investments |
|---|---|
United States | 457 |
United Kingdom | 10 |
Germany | 8 |
Norway | 8 |
Brazil | 7 |
Others | 44 |
Note: We have considered here, only first round of investments
Founders Fund's recent investments
Founders Fund has made 20 investments in 2026 so far. Armada and Roadrunner are the latest among them.Here are the most recent investments by Founders Fund:
Filter this listDate | Company | Location | Round Details | Round Amount | Co-Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
May 19, 2026 | United States | Series B | 7663 | [+13] | |
May 14, 2026 | United States | Series A | 3966 | - | |
May 13, 2026 | United Kingdom | Series B | 7008 | [+7] | |
May 12, 2026 | United States | Series B | 2048 | [+1] | |
May 06, 2026 | Brazil | Series B | 2488 | [+4] |
Unicorns in Founders Fund's Portfolio
Founders Fund has 51 unicorns in its portfolio - Hermeus, Nominal, Eight Sleep and others. The most recent unicorn in their portfolio is Hermeus. It became a unicorn in 2026, 4 years after Founders Fund first invested in it.Here is a list of unicorns in Founders Fund's portfolio:
Tracxn Score | Company | Short Description | Founded year | Sector | Location | Company Stage | First Investment/ Acquisition Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
64 | Manufacturer of supersonic aircraft | 2018 | Atlanta | Series C | apfwvgp | ||
63 | Provider of a unified industrial data stack for hardware engineering | 2017 | Los Angeles | Series B | bqpcfcx | ||
81 | Provider of AI-based internet-first brand of mattress and smart mattress covers | 2014 | New York City | Series D | mpzughe | ||
65 | Builder of AI‑driven autonomous factories that manufacture precision components | 2021 | Los Angeles | Series C | ppyi{ti | ||
60 | Developer of portable nuclear microreactors designed to replace diesel generators | 2019 | Los Angeles | Series D | pwsojyi |
IPOs and Publicly Listed companies in Founders Fund's Portfolio
28 of Founders Fund's portfolio companies have become public. BitGo got listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), in Jan 2026 at marketcap of $1.92B and Figma got listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) at marketcap of $13.5B.Here are Founders Fund's portfolio companies that went public:
Company | IPO Date | First Invested on | First Round of Investment | Round Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Jan 22, 2026 | Jun 16, 2014 | Series A | 7266 | |
Jul 31, 2025 | Feb 08, 2019 | Series C | 2811 | |
Mar 02, 2022 | Mar 28, 2017 | Series A | 6448 | |
Dec 09, 2021 | Jan 08, 2016 | Series C | 4432 | |
Jul 16, 2021 | Jan 20, 2016 | Series C | 9927 |
Acquired companies in Founders Fund's Portfolio
129 companies from Founders Fund's portfolio have been acquired. The most recent acquisition was Literati in Apr 2026 by Trustbridge Partners for $*****.Here are Founders Fund's portfolio companies that got acquired most recently:
Company | Acquisition Date | First Invested on | First Round of Investment | Round Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apr 23, 2026 | Oct 23, 2019 | Series A | 7770 | |
Apr 15, 2026 | Nov 08, 2022 | Series A | 7841 | |
Apr 08, 2026 | Oct 24, 2019 | Seed | 7234 | |
Mar 10, 2026 | Nov 30, 2022 | Series B | 6150 | |
Feb 12, 2026 | - | - | 9209 |
Team profile of Founders Fund
Founders Fund has a team of 34 members including 20 Partners, 2 Venture Partners and 8 Principals located in United States, United Kingdom and 2 more locations. Founders Fund's team sits on the board of 9 companies.Here is a list of top team members in Founders Fund:
Name | Designation | Location | Board Memberships | Contact Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Partner | San Francisco | - | ||
Partner | San Francisco | |||
Partner | San Francisco | - | ||
Partner | Los Angeles | - | - | |
Partner | San Francisco | - | ||
Partner | New York City | - | ||
Partner | San Francisco | - | - | |
Partner | Miami | |||
Partner | San Francisco | - | - | |
Partner | Miami | - | - | |
Partner | United States | - | - |
Co-investors of Founders Fund
Over the past 21 years, 3837 investors have co-invested in Founders Fund's portfolio companies. This includes funds and angels.
- Invested before Founders Fund: Y Combinator, Andreessen Horowitz and 905 others have invested in rounds before Founders Fund. There are 39 companies where Y Combinator has invested before Founders Fund and 14 companies where Andreessen Horowitz has invested before Founders Fund.
- Top Co-investors of Founders Fund: 1270 investors entered a company along with Founders Fund. These include investors like Andreessen Horowitz (33 companies).
- Invested after Founders Fund: A total of 1660 investors have invested in Founders Fund's portfolio after their investments. Top Investors include Tiger Global Management (17 companies), Fidelity Investments (16 companies) and Andreessen Horowitz (16 companies).
Recent News related to Founders Fund
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Fractile Secures $220M for AI Chips Amidst Intense Market DemandStartupHub.ai•May 13, 2026•Fractile, Factorial Funds, Founders Fund, Accel and 6 others
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Enter AI Becomes LatAm's First Applied AI Unicorn After Raising R$500 MillionGrupoglobo•May 06, 2026•Enter, Founders Fund, Monaco
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Peter Thiel Leads $140 Million Series B for Panthalassa’s Ocean-Powered AI InfrastructureTheEnergyMag•May 04, 2026•Panthalassa, Founders Fund, Timeventures.com, Lowercarbon and 4 others
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AI Boom Drives Founders Fund $6B Expansion into Concentrated Mega Bets Blockonomi•May 03, 2026•Founders Fund
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Hightouch Valued at $2.75 Billion in $150 Million Series D Funding Round for AI Marketing PlatformPYMNTS.com•Apr 29, 2026•Hightouch, IconiQ, Bain Capital Ventures, Amplify Partners and 7 others
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ICE-backed Polymarket eyes $400m at $15b valuationTech in Asia•Apr 20, 2026•Polymarket, Benzinga, ICE, Intercontinental Exchange and 1 other
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Loop Raises $95 Million To Strengthen AI Supply Chain PlatformVentureburn•Apr 17, 2026•Tao Capital Partners, Loop, J P Morgan, Valor Equity Partners and 7 others
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Hermeus raises $350M at $1B valuationSiliconAngle•Apr 08, 2026•Hermeus, Khosla Ventures, RTX, Bling Capital and 14 others
