Danielle Strachman
Co-founder and General Partner of fund:1517-fund, an anti-establishment VC firm backing uncredentialed and dropout founders in deep tech; founding director of the Thiel Fellowship (2010), where she helped identify and launch early cohorts including Vitalik Buterin (Ethereum) and Dylan Field (Figma).
Danielle Strachman is co-founder and General Partner of 1517 Fund, a venture firm she started with Michael Gibson in 2015 to back college dropouts, renegade scientists, and uncredentialed founders working on deep tech, hardware, and biotech at the idea-through-seed stage. Before 1517, she was founding director of the Thiel Fellowship, joining in 2010 to lead its design and operations with Peter Thiel and Michael Gibson, helping select early cohorts including Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin and Figma founder Dylan Field before either was well known. Earlier, she founded and directed Innovations Academy, a K-8 charter school in San Diego serving roughly 400 students with project-based learning. At 1517 Fund she writes checks from $50K at the idea stage up to $1M for deep-tech seed rounds, often starting with small R&D grants.
Overview
- Role
- Co-Founder & General Partner, 1517 Fund
- Based in
- San Francisco, CA
- Prior experience
- Thiel Fellowship (Founding Director; 2010-2015); Innovations Academy San Diego (Founder & Director)
- Website
- www.1517fund.com/
Companies0
No linked records yet.
Affiliated funds1
Frequently asked
- Who is Danielle Strachman?
- Danielle Strachman is co-founder and General Partner of 1517 Fund, a venture firm she started with Michael Gibson in 2015 to back college dropouts, renegade scientists, and uncredentialed founders working on deep tech, hardware, and biotech at the idea-through-seed stage. Before 1517, she was founding director of the Thiel Fellowship, joining in 2010 to lead its design and operations with Peter Thiel and Michael Gibson, helping select early cohorts including Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin and Figma founder Dylan Field before either was well known. Earlier, she founded and directed Innovations Academy, a K-8 charter school in San Diego serving roughly 400 students with project-based learning. At 1517 Fund she writes checks from $50K at the idea stage up to $1M for deep-tech seed rounds, often starting with small R&D grants.
- What is Danielle Strachman's role?
- Danielle Strachman is Co-Founder & General Partner, 1517 Fund, based in San Francisco, CA.
- Where did Danielle Strachman work before?
- Danielle Strachman's prior roles include Thiel Fellowship (Founding Director; 2010-2015); Innovations Academy San Diego (Founder & Director).
Tags
Sources & citations4
Each claim links to its underlying source. Confidence reflects how directly the source supports the claim.
- 1
Danielle Strachman is a cofounder and general partner of 1517 Fund. In 2010, during the founding of the Thiel Fellowship, Danielle joined to lead the design and operations, identifying generational talent like Vitalik Buterin (Ethereum) and Dylan Field (Figma) when they were teenagers.
The Institute: Danielle Strachman | The InstituteReported2026-08-11 - 2
Danielle Strachman, Founder and General Partner at 1517 Fund; founding director of the Thiel Fellowship; before venture capital, founded and directed Innovations Academy, a K-8 charter school in San Diego; 1517 Fund's check range is $50K-$1M.
VC Sheet: Danielle Strachman (1517 Fund) / VC Breakdown & ContactReported2026-08-11 - 3
1517 Fund is a venture capital and private equity firm started by Michael Gibson and Danielle Strachman in 2015; Gibson and Strachman previously worked at the Thiel Foundation and helped cofound the Thiel Fellowship.
1517 Fund: 1517 Fund - Backing Dropouts, Students & SciFi ScienceVerified2026-08-11 - 4
1517 Fund's check sizes range from $50K (idea stage) to $1M (deep tech/sci-fi seed).
F4.fund: 1517 Fund | Investment Thesis & PreferencesReported2026-08-11