Founders Fund LLC logo

Founders Fund LLC

Multi-stage venture firmSEC venture capital fund adviser· San Francisco, CaliforniaFOUNDERSFUND.COM

Founders Fund is a San Francisco based venture capital firm investing in companies building revolutionary technologies.

In the firm's own words, from its website.

Reported fund assets
$59B
sum of its funds' Form ADV filings, last 30 months
New companies, 12 mo
8
Investment team
2
Latest vintage
2026
Contact decision makers
More
Ask DFX about thisView relationshipsFind contactsInvestments (72)Team (5)Funds
As of · the latest observation of this organization; filed figures are as of its latest Form ADV

3 additional team members, 39 additional co-investors and affiliates, 153 additional investments, funds and LPs, 75 events, 1 verified contact (1 firm phone)

Every relationship, signal and contact on this record, with the source on each.

Includes 3 days of DFX Intelligence. Then $199/month unless canceled.

What matters now

  1. 8 companies
    new in 12 months

    8 new companies in the last 12 months.

    A firm writing cheques this quarter is one a founder can pitch now.

    Factfunding announcements, Form D, the firm's portfolio pageInvestments →
  2. 3 companies
    portfolio raising

    3 portfolio companies have new financing on record in 6 months without this firm named on the round; the latest on 31 Aug 2026 ($3.11B sold on Form D).

    A portfolio company raising again is a follow-on decision for the firm and a co-investment opening for others.

    FactSEC Form D filingsFor Co-investors, LPs, lendersInvestments →
  3. 17 deals
    with Sequoia Capital

    Invests most often alongside Sequoia Capital (17 shared deals) and 137 Ventures Management (13 shared deals).

    pair last observed on record 1 Oct 2026, not a deal date · The firms it syndicates with are the likeliest to see the same deals and to fill out its rounds.

    Measuredshared rounds and portfolio companies on recordCo-investors →

People to know

View all people
  • Kenneth Howery
    Member Officer
    Why: Named with investment responsibility
    No route on file yet
  • Peter Andreas Thiel
    Managing Member
    Why: Named with investment responsibility
    No route on file yet

Relationship network

244 connected entities11 observed rounds4 repeat counterparties3 dated rounds shown here, 2026

From financing rounds and every investor named in them, Form ADV and Form D filings, the firm's funds and team, and disclosed LP commitments in the venture capital graph. A round's amount is the size of the round, not money that moved between two investors.

Some relationships on this record are counted rather than named here. They open with the full profile.

Click any name or line for the rounds and sources behind it. Line weight is rounds together; dashed lines are inferred.

What stands out
Reading the network
  • Sponsor
  • Company
  • Fund or vehicle
  • Person

Co-investors are read from the rounds: three or more shared rounds is a strong observed relationship, two a repeat co-investor, one a single round. Funds and people are structural. Nothing is scored that a reader cannot check.

Darker lines were active in the last 24 months or are current; lighter lines are older or undated.

How am I connected?

Name your firm, a company or a person, and DFX finds the published routes to Founders Fund LLC: a shared portfolio company or board, a prior employer, a co-investor, a shared LP or service provider. Every step is a filed or published record with its source; none is a guess about who knows whom.

See how you connect to Founders Fund LLC

Includes 3 days of DFX Intelligence. Then $199/month unless canceled.

Investing

72 companies on record, 8 new in 12 months
Investments on record
72 companies, 2 partner-attributed
CompanyRoundRolePartnerRound sizeThis investorDateSource
Affirmportfolio listingunknownunknownunknownunknownOct 1, 2026Fact Firm website
Airbnbportfolio listingunknownunknownunknownunknownOct 1, 2026Fact Firm website
Andurilportfolio listingunknownunknownunknownunknownOct 1, 2026Fact Firm website
Stated thesis versus observed behaviour
74 observed deals
Stated (the firm’s website)
Sectors
defense
Stages
not stated or not yet read
Geography
not stated
Check size
not stated; DFX does not estimate checks from round sizes
Observed (from deals on record)
Stage at participation
series b 57%series d plus 29%seed 14%
Stage at first entry
series b 57%series d plus 29%seed 14%
Industries, each company once
Hardware and deep tech (1)Hardware and deep tech, Software or Tech-enabled and IT services (1)Life sciences (1)
lead rate 11%follow-on rate 0%new companies, 12 months 8

Team

5 current, 4 departed
Decision makers
who to call first, and why; then everyone else by function
  • Kenneth Howery · Member Officer
    Why this person: Named with investment responsibility
  • Peter Andreas Thiel · Managing Member
    Why this person: Named with investment responsibility
Who else at this firm · 1 person, grouped by function
Finance, operations and compliance (1)

Ranked by the role the firm or its filing states, a route on file and deals led. Every reason is read from the record, never inferred. Routes are published by the person or the firm (their bio, the team page or a filing) and are revealed on a plan; data bought from a provider is never shown, and a route printed at a firm the person has since left is held back.

Investment team
5 current, 4 departed
4 departed (kept with end dates)
Contacts
1 firm phone

1 firm phone on record, each with its source. Values open with the complete profile.

Funds and LPs

47 vehicles, 0 LPs disclosed
Funds and vehicles
47 reported, 35 no longer reported
VehicleTypeVintageLifecycleReported GAVOwnersForm D soldLatest Form D
Founders Fund Growth IV, LPGrowth fund2026 form d first saleNewly closed$5.0B
Sep 14, 2026
330$6.0B
of $6.0B
Mar 23, 2026
Founders Fund Growth III, LPGrowth fund2025 form d first saleNewly closed$4.2B
Sep 14, 2026
237$4.6B
of $4.6B
Apr 11, 2025
Founders And4, LPFund2024 adv first reportedEarly deployment$1.7M
Sep 14, 2026
10unknownunknown
Limited partners
0 LPs, 0 disclosed commitments
No LP commitment on record. An LP edge needs a public disclosure with a quote: a pension report (see Limited partners for the plans read), a fund announcement naming the LP, or a Form ADV owner. The fund page carries the LP’s reported performance.
Known LPs and allocators
8 relationships across the firm's funds, from public pensions and the allocator graph
AllocatorTypeFundAmountDateSource
Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation IncFOUNDATIONFounders Fund Growth III, LP$1.6M
fair value on the foundation's return
reported as of Jun 30, 2025Fact IRS Form 990 / 990-PF e-file returns
Commonwealth FundFOUNDATIONThe Founders Fund Growth II, LP$6.2M
fair value on the foundation's return
reported as of Jun 30, 2025Fact IRS Form 990 / 990-PF e-file returns
Commonwealth FundFOUNDATIONThe Founders Fund Viii, LP$563,596
fair value on the foundation's return
reported as of Jun 30, 2025Fact IRS Form 990 / 990-PF e-file returns

Relationships across DFX

179 co-investors · on 3 other DFX graphs
Co-investors
179 counted from shared deals, for the whole firm
Across DFX and the capital chainon 3 other DFX graphs · 5 capital paths Show
Across DFX
Across the graphs

Founders Fund LLC is the same institution as 3 records in Allocators, RIA and Wealth and Family Offices.

Allocators1RIA and Wealth1Family Offices1

DFX found 3 relationships across 3 datasets

Which record it is in each graph, what it is called there, and how the two were matched.

Includes 3 days of DFX Intelligence. Then $199/month unless canceled.

Checking your plan…

Capital chain

Founders Fund LLC sits on 5 traced paths of capital across the graphs.

Allocator commitments to a manager

DFX traced 5 paths of capital through this record

Every record on each path, what it committed or lent, and as of when.

Includes 3 days of DFX Intelligence. Then $199/month unless canceled.

Derived from allocator disclosures, BDC schedules and SEC filings; confidence is the weakest hop.

Checking your plan…

Evidence and history

80 dated events, 72 observations from 4 sources
Timeline
80 dated events
  1. seen on or beforeSep 24, 2026
    Founders Fund LLC: CORPORATE_VENTURE -> MULTI_STAGE_VC (both early and growth/opportunity families, reported GAV $58,932M)
    Classification changedClassificationInferenceno URL
  2. Sep 14, 2026
    The Founders Fund Ix Principals Fund, LP first reported on Form ADV by Founders Fund LLC, GAV $223,804,845
    Fund first reported on Form ADVFundsFactThe Founders Fund Ix Principals Fund, LPForm ADV
  3. Sep 14, 2026
    The Founders Fund Growth IV Principals Fund, LP first reported on Form ADV by Founders Fund LLC, GAV $1,024,585,000
    Fund first reported on Form ADVFundsFactThe Founders Fund Growth IV Principals Fund, LPForm ADV
  4. Sep 14, 2026
    The Founders Fund Growth III Principals Fund, LP first reported on Form ADV by Founders Fund LLC, GAV $801,813,353
    Fund first reported on Form ADVFundsFactThe Founders Fund Growth III Principals Fund, LPForm ADV
  5. Sep 14, 2026
    Gopher E, LP first reported on Form ADV by Founders Fund LLC, GAV $2,597,091
    Fund first reported on Form ADVFundsFactGopher E, LPForm ADV
Identity and regulatory footprint
Address, phone, Form ADV filing and ownersForm ADV filed Mar 30, 2026 · 47 private fundsShow
Headquarters
San Francisco, CAadviserinfo.sec.gov
Office address
unknownadviserinfo.sec.gov
Business phone
unknownadviserinfo.sec.gov
Website
FOUNDERSFUND.COM
SEC adviser type
Exempt reporting adviseradviserinfo.sec.gov
SEC exemption claimed
Venture capital fund adviseradviserinfo.sec.govItem 2.B(1): advises solely venture capital funds
Latest Form ADV
Mar 30, 2026
Private funds reported
47 (47 venture capital funds)adviserinfo.sec.gov
Private fund gross assets, adviser total
$59Badviserinfo.sec.govreported GAV of the funds, the adviser's own number; not fund size, not dry powder
Owners on Schedule A
Thiel Capital LLC (Member), owns 50% to 75%; The Ranch Trust (Member), owns 50% to 75%
Classification history
Every classification this record has carried2 on recordShow
  1. Sep 24, 2026
    Multi-stage venture firm (confirmed, 95%)
    Both early and growth/opportunity families, reported GAV $58.9B
  2. Sep 12, 2026
    Corporate venture (confirmed, 95%)
Evidence
72 observations from 4 sources
Every observation behind this profile, with its source, date and class
FactValueEffectiveClassSource
Why admittedVC exemption, VC funds reportedMar 30, 2026FactForm ADV
SEC exemption claimedVenture capital fund adviserMar 30, 2026FactForm ADV
SEC exemption claimedVenture capital fund adviserMar 29, 2024FactForm ADV
SEC adviser typeExempt reporting adviserMar 30, 2026FactForm ADV
SEC adviser typeExempt reporting adviserMar 30, 2026FactForm ADV
SEC adviser typeExempt reporting adviserMar 29, 2024FactForm ADV
First Form ADV filing2012-03-29Mar 30, 2026FactForm ADV
First Form ADV filing2012-03-29Mar 29, 2024FactForm ADV
Adv history loadedadv-hist-1+panel:2026-09-29Sep 30, 2026FactForm ADV
Adv history loadedadv-hist-1+panel:2026-09-25Sep 26, 2026FactForm ADV
Adv history loadedadv-hist-1+panel:2026-09-23Sep 24, 2026FactForm ADV
Adv history loadedadv-hist-1+panel:2026-09-21Sep 23, 2026FactForm ADV
Adv history loadedadv-hist-1+panel:2026-09-22Sep 23, 2026FactForm ADV
Adv history loadedadv-hist-1Sep 12, 2026FactForm ADV
Latest Form ADV filing2026-03-30Mar 30, 2026FactForm ADV
Latest Form ADV filing2026-03-30Mar 30, 2026FactForm ADV
Latest Form ADV filing2024-03-29Mar 29, 2024FactForm ADV
Adv pdf loadedadv-pdf-1Sep 14, 2026FactForm ADV
SEC statusERA - ActiveMar 30, 2026FactForm ADV
SEC status effective2012-03-29Mar 30, 2026FactForm ADV
Venture share of reported funds1Mar 30, 2026FactForm ADV
Venture share of reported funds1Mar 29, 2024FactForm ADV
Business phoneMar 30, 2026FactForm ADV
Business phoneMar 29, 2024FactForm ADV
DescriptionSep 30, 2026Factno URL
DescriptionSep 16, 2026Factno URL
DescriptionSep 12, 2026Factno URL
HeadquartersSan Francisco, CAMar 30, 2026FactForm ADV
HeadquartersSan Francisco, CAMar 29, 2024FactForm ADV
Office addressMar 30, 2026FactForm ADV
Office addressMar 29, 2024FactForm ADV
Legal formLimited Liability CompanyMar 30, 2026FactForm ADV
Legal formLimited Liability CompanyMar 29, 2024FactForm ADV
Portfolio pageOct 1, 2026Factno URL
Portfolio pageSep 30, 2026Factno URL
Portfolio pageSep 16, 2026Factno URL
Portfolio pageSep 12, 2026Factno URL
Private funds reported47Mar 30, 2026FactForm ADV
Private funds reported47Mar 30, 2026FactForm ADV
Private funds reported35Mar 29, 2024FactForm ADV
Private fund gross assets (reported)$59BMar 30, 2026FactForm ADV
Private fund gross assets (reported)$59BMar 30, 2026FactForm ADV
Private fund gross assets (reported)$22BMar 29, 2024FactForm ADV
Schedule a diffsadiff-1Mar 30, 2026FactForm ADV
Stated sectorsdefense
“sector words on the home page”
Sep 30, 2026Factno URL
Stated sectorsdefense
“sector words on the home page”
Sep 16, 2026Factno URL
Stated sectorsdefense
“sector words on the home page”
Sep 12, 2026Factno URL
Venture funds reported47Mar 30, 2026FactForm ADV
Venture funds reported47Mar 30, 2026FactForm ADV
Venture funds reported35Mar 29, 2024FactForm ADV
WebsiteMar 29, 2024FactForm ADV
Site titleSep 30, 2026Factno URL
Site titleSep 16, 2026Factno URL
Site titleSep 12, 2026Factno URL
How this is scored
Scores, classification basis and filing advisersMulti-stage venture firm, confirmedShow
Importance
79
high
Active deployment
55
elevated
Emerging
0
low
Freshness
100
high
Multi-stage venture firmSEC exempt reporting adviser

Both early and growth/opportunity families, reported GAV $58.9B

The inputs behind each score
importance
gav: $1 · funds: 1 · people: 0.12 · investments: 0.69 · co investors: 0.91
active deployment
investments 12m: 1 · fund raising 18m: 0 · people joined 12m: 0 · vintage within 3y: 1 · latest investment at: 2026-09-30
emerging manager
fund count: 82 · reported gav: $59B · first adv filing: 2012-03-29 · years since first filing: 14.5

Fits, record history and connections

scored matches for this investor, every identity change, every edge

Fits

21 scored matches, best firstas of
  • score 55confidence 100%
    Why: sector fit; geography fit; activity; analogous
    Watch: adjacent portfolio
  • score 47.6confidence 90%
    Why: stage fit; activity; cap table
  • score 47.6confidence 90%
    Why: stage fit; activity; cap table

+18 more scored matches

Includes 3 days of DFX Intelligence. Then $199/month unless canceled.

Scored by DFX match engines from the record's observed portfolio, stage, geography and recent activity. A fit is a reason to look, not a mandate; the blockers say what the model could not confirm. Names and the evidence sentences show with the names on this page.

Record history

2 dated events on the change ledger, latest event first
  • Organization classification changed
    2026-09-24
  • Adviser's first ADV filing
    2012-03-29source on record

The ledger records every merge, rename and reclassification this record went through and the dated filings observed on it, so the identity on this page can be traced to the records it was built from. The ledger's own sentences name other records, so they show with the names.