Draper Associates
UnclaimedAt a Glance
- Check Size
- $500K – $5M
- Stage
- Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B+
- AUM
- $2.00B
- Sectors
- Consumer, Fintech, Web3 +1
- Founded
- 1985
- HQ
- San Mateo, CA
About Draper Associates
Draper Associates is a venture capital firm based in Menlo Park, CA founded in 1985. Draper Associates: 40+ years backing transformative companies from Tesla to Skype. We invest in AI, blockchain, biotech, and frontier tech. $2B AUM, 60+ unicorns. The firm focuses on Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B+ investments across sectors including Aerospace & Defense, Other, Consumer, Fintech, Climate. The firm manages $2.00B in assets under management. Invests in early-stage technology companies with disruptive potential across various sectors including fintech, consumer internet, and emerging technologies.
Investment Thesis
“Invests in early-stage technology companies with disruptive potential across various sectors including fintech, consumer internet, and emerging technologies.”
Sector Focus
Investment Stage
Notable Portfolio Companies
Key Team (2)
Fund History (4 funds)
| Fund | Vintage | Size | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | $200M | — | |
| — | $150M | — | |
| — | $100M | — | |
| — | $80M | — |
Fund History
Draper Associates has raised four vehicles on public record since 2015, each larger than the last. Draper Associates V, L.P. filed in July 2015 on a $150 million offering with $67.5 million sold to 9 investors against a first sale of July 17, 2015, reaching $119.47 million across 18 investors by a December 2015 amendment, filed from Menlo Park. Fund VI, formed in 2019, filed in August 2020 on a $170 million offering with $82.59 million sold to 15 investors and a first sale of July 29, 2020. Fund VII, formed in 2022, registered an indefinite offering and reported $123.65 million sold to 22 investors in August 2022, rising to $152.25 million across 34 investors by July 2023. Fund VIII recorded a first sale on July 15, 2025 and reported $200 million sold to 37 investors that month, closing at a $300,780,000 offering fully sold across 56 investors by June 2026. Draper Associates Rhino SPV II and III and Draper Associates Venus, L.P. sit alongside the flagship line. Funds VI through VIII file from San Mateo.
SEC Fund Filings
- Vehicles filed, last 24 months
- 3
- Latest filing
Draper Associates filed a Form D for 3 fund vehicles between Sep 26, 2024 and Sep 25, 2026.
| Fund vehicle | Source |
|---|---|
| Draper Associates Venus, L.P. | SEC Form D, filed |
| Draper Radiant SPV, L.P. | SEC Form D, filed |
| Draper Associates VIII, L.P. | SEC Form D, filed |
A Form D is the notice a fund files with the SEC when it raises money in a private offering. Feeder funds, parallel funds and SPVs each file their own, so the count measures filing activity, not the number of flagship funds.
Source: SEC EDGAR Form D filings for pooled investment funds, original filings only (amendments excluded). Our filing data starts Jul 1, 2024. Vehicles are matched to Draper Associates by fund name and checked against the sponsor address and named principals on each filing; offering amounts are not shown. Each “SEC Form D” link opens an EDGAR full-text search for that vehicle’s exact name, where the filing itself is listed. See every new fund filing on the Form D Radar.
Investment Timeline (9 deals)
2023
Unstoppable Domains
Series A$65M2022
Tezos
Series B2021
Robinhood
Growth2020
Tesla
Series A$7.5M2019
Hotmail
Series A$3M2018
Baidu
Series A$12M2017
Skype
Series B2016
Twitch
Series A$15M2015
Coinbase
Series A$25MTeam (1)
Frequently Asked Questions
What stage does Draper Associates invest at?
Draper Associates primarily invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B+ stages. This means they focus on companies that are at the earliest idea or prototype phase.
Where is Draper Associates located?
Draper Associates is headquartered in San Mateo, CA. Many of their portfolio companies are also based in this region, though they invest across geographies.
What sectors does Draper Associates focus on?
Draper Associates focuses on investments in Consumer, Fintech, Web3, Deeptech. Their portfolio reflects deep expertise and networks within these sectors.
What is Draper Associates's typical check size?
Draper Associates's typical investment check size ranges from $500K to $5M. Actual amounts may vary based on the stage, sector, and specific opportunity.
How much does Draper Associates have under management?
Draper Associates manages approximately $2.00B in assets under management (AUM) across their funds.
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