Draper Fisher Jurvetson

Draper Fisher Jurvetson is a prominent venture capital firm founded in 1985 by Tim Draper, John Fisher, and Steve Jurvetson. The firm has invested in numerous successful companies, including Hotmail, Skype, and Baidu. With offices in Menlo Park, California, New York City, and Palo Alto, California, Draper Fisher Jurvetson has established itself as a leading player in the Silicon Valley venture capital scene, often co-investing with other notable firms like Kleiner Perkins and Sequoia Capital. The firm's investments have been influenced by its connections to Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

● History

Draper Fisher Jurvetson was founded in 1985 by Tim Draper, John Fisher, and Steve Jurvetson, with the goal of investing in early-stage technology companies. The firm's early investments included Cisco Systems and Compaq, which were later acquired by Hewlett-Packard. In the 1990s, Draper Fisher Jurvetson invested in several successful companies, including Yahoo! and Amazon.com, often working alongside other prominent investors like Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz. The firm's success during this period was influenced by its connections to Silicon Valley and its proximity to Google and Facebook.

● Investments

Draper Fisher Jurvetson has invested in a wide range of companies, including Twitter, Foursquare, and Groupon. The firm has also invested in several companies founded by Mark Zuckerberg, including Facebook and Instagram. In addition to its investments in the United States, Draper Fisher Jurvetson has also invested in companies in China, including Tencent Holdings and Alibaba Group, often working with other investors like SoftBank and Goldman Sachs. The firm's investments have been influenced by its connections to Harvard University and the University of California, Berkeley.

● Portfolio Companies

Draper Fisher Jurvetson's portfolio companies include SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk, and Tesla, Inc., also founded by Elon Musk. The firm has also invested in Uber, Airbnb, and Dropbox, often co-investing with other notable firms like Andreessen Horowitz and Greylock Partners. Other notable portfolio companies include Palantir Technologies, founded by Peter Thiel, and LinkedIn, which was acquired by Microsoft in 2016, with the help of investors like Reid Hoffman and Jeff Weiner.

● Notable Exits

Draper Fisher Jurvetson has had several notable exits, including the initial public offering (IPO) of Skype in 2010, which was later acquired by Microsoft for $8.5 billion. The firm also invested in Hotmail, which was acquired by Microsoft in 1997 for $400 million, with the help of investors like Sabeer Bhatia and Jack Smith. Other notable exits include the IPOs of Baidu and Tesla, Inc., which were influenced by the firm's connections to Wall Street and the New York Stock Exchange.

● Controversies

Draper Fisher Jurvetson has been involved in several controversies, including a lawsuit filed by Ellen Pao against the firm in 2012, which was later settled out of court. The firm has also faced criticism for its investments in companies with questionable business practices, such as Theranos, which was founded by Elizabeth Holmes and later shut down due to allegations of fraud, with the help of investors like Rupert Murdoch and Betsy DeVos. The firm's investments have been influenced by its connections to Washington, D.C. and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

● Partners

Draper Fisher Jurvetson's partners include Tim Draper, John Fisher, and Steve Jurvetson, who have all been involved in the firm's investments and operations. The firm has also had several other notable partners, including Josh Stein, who has invested in companies like Box and Slack Technologies, and Emily Melton, who has invested in companies like Cockroach Labs and Zoox, often working alongside other investors like Mary Meeker and Reid Hoffman. The firm's partners have been influenced by their connections to Stanford Graduate School of Business and the University of Pennsylvania.

Category:Venture capital firms