Seed · Early · Growth · Venture · Select later-stage and growth · Stage not specified

Founders Fund

San Francisco, CA

Firm website Firm contact Contact source

A venture firm backing technically ambitious founders across aerospace, defense, AI, financial technology and hard science.

SpaceDefense TechnologyArtificial IntelligenceFinancial TechnologyEnterprise Softwaredefenseenterprise and datafintechcryptoconsumerspacedefense and government technologyfrontier technologyadvanced manufacturingbiotechnology

Key people indexed2

Listed companies10

Distinct official sources2

Last checked2026-09-04

Strategy lens

Declared focus vs. observed sample

Declared focus reflects the firm’s own strategy language. Observed sectors summarize only the source-linked companies currently indexed here; it is not the firm’s complete portfolio allocation.

Observed company sample

aerospace and defense manufacturing1

consumer marketplace1

Defense & Autonomy1

Enterprise Software1

Financial Technology1

fintech and payments1

foundation models and AI products1

in-space manufacturing1

neurotechnology1

Space1

Founder fit screen

Prepare before contacting Founders Fund

Use the firm’s declared strategy and sourced relationship graph to build a specific outreach thesis. This is a preparation framework—not a claim about current appetite or check size.

Stage fit

Explain why the company belongs in Seed, Early, Growth and what proof has already removed the prior stage’s risk.

Sector fit

Anchor the opportunity to Space, Defense Technology, Artificial Intelligence. Name the specific market shift and why it is happening now.

Partner fit

Review 2 indexed team profiles. Address the partner whose operating history and portfolio context best match the company.

Portfolio context

Study the 10 source-linked companies shown here. State whether the company is complementary, differentiated, or potentially competitive.

Evidence packet

Bring customer proof, cohort or deployment metrics, gross-margin logic, capital use, key risks, and the milestone this financing should unlock.

Contact route

Use the firm’s public route and keep the request precise: company, stage, round, traction, why this firm, and one clear next step.

Key people

Who shapes the partnership

Official team source

Partner

Peter Thiel

Technology founder and investor associated with PayPal, Palantir and early frontier-technology investing.

Partner

Trae Stephens

Investor and defense-technology operator focused on national security, autonomy and emerging industrial systems.

Selected relationships

Investments listed by the firm

Official portfolio source