Founders Fund
Multi-stage VC known for early bets on SpaceX, Palantir, and Anduril.
Founders Fund is a multi-stage venture capital firm founded in 2005 by Peter Thiel, Ken Howery, and Luke Nosek. It manages approximately $17 billion and is one of the most influential investors in defense technology, having backed SpaceX, Palantir, Anduril, and other frontier-tech companies. The firm operates a famous contrarian thesis focused on hard technology problems and national security.
Overview
- Firm
- Founders Fund Management LLC
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, CA
- Founded
- 2005
- AUM
- $20B+
- Avg. check
- $500K–$150M
- Stages
- Seed, Series A, Series B, Growth
- Thesis
- Transformative technology companies in aerospace, AI, defense, and deep tech.
- X / Twitter
- x.com/foundersfund
- Website
- foundersfund.com/
Portfolio companies9
- CompanyAnduril IndustriesAutonomy-first defense products company building hardware and the Lattice software platform.
- CompanyPalantir TechnologiesData integration and analytics software for defense, intelligence, and commercial customers.
- CompanySpaceXSpace launch, satellite communications, and defense technology company.
- CompanyHermeusHigh-speed and hypersonic aircraft development for defense and national security.
- CompanyFractileUK AI-inference-chip startup (SRAM-based, DRAM-less architecture) backed by Founders Fund and the NATO Innovation Fund.
- CompanyOnodrimAmsterdam-based defense industrial platform helping established European defense/industrial producers scale manufacturing capacity, multi-domain sensing, and networked systems.
- CompanyNominalSoftware platform for testing, validating, and monitoring complex hardware systems used in aerospace and defense.
- CompanyValinor EnterprisesUS defense holding company centralizing back-office infrastructure for decentralized product companies.
- CompanyVarda Space IndustriesManufactures pharmaceuticals in microgravity aboard reentry-capable spacecraft.
Partners4
- FounderNapoleon TaFounders Fund partner leading the growth-investing practice.
- FounderScott NolanFounders Fund partner and early SpaceX propulsion engineer; CEO of General Matter.
- FounderDelian AsparouhovFounders Fund partner and co-founder/president of in-space manufacturing company Varda Space Industries.
- FounderTrae StephensCo-Founder & Executive Chairman of Anduril Industries; Founders Fund partner.
Frequently asked
- What is Founders Fund?
- Transformative technology companies in aerospace, AI, defense, and deep tech.
- How much does Founders Fund manage?
- Founders Fund manages $20B+ in assets, and was founded in 2005.
- What stages does Founders Fund invest at?
- Founders Fund invests at Seed, Series A, Series B, Growth, with typical checks of $500K–$150M.
Sources & citations5
Each claim links to its underlying source. Confidence reflects how directly the source supports the claim.
- 1
$17B+ in assets under management as of 2025
pm.wiki: Founders Fund - Peter Thiel-founded venture capital firmReported2026-02-26 - 2
Founders Fund closed a $6B Growth IV fund, its largest ever (May 2026)
Bloomberg: Thiel's Founders Fund Raises $6 Billion in Its Largest-Ever HaulVerified2026-05-01 - 3
Founders Fund closed a $4.6B Growth III fund (August 2025)
Cooley LLP: Founders Fund Closes $4.6 Billion Growth III FundVerified2025-08-04 - 4
Founders Fund wrote a $1 billion check into Anduril Industries Series G (June 2025, $2.5B round at a $30.5B valuation) — the largest single check in the firm history
TechCrunch: Anduril raises $2.5B at a $30.5B valuation led by Founders FundVerified2025-06-05 - 5
Founders Fund participated in Hermeus's $100M Series B (March 4, 2022, led by Sam Altman) and its $350M Series C (April 7, 2026, led by Khosla Ventures, valuing Hermeus at $1B)
PR Newswire: Hermeus Reaches $1 Billion Valuation with $350 Million Raise to Build Today's Fastest Aircraft for the American WarfighterVerified2026-04-07