Founders Fund is an American venture capital firm founded in 2005 by Peter Thiel, Ken Howery, and Luke Nosek, all co-founders of PayPal. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, the firm focuses on early-stage investments in disruptive technology companies, particularly in sectors such as aerospace, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, energy, and defense. Known for its contrarian investment philosophy, Founders Fund prioritizes backing innovative founders tackling complex problems, often in high-risk, high-reward areas like 'hard tech.' The firm has achieved significant success with early investments in companies including SpaceX, Palantir Technologies, Facebook, Airbnb, Stripe, and Anduril Industries, contributing to its reputation as an influential player in Silicon Valley. As of 2025, Founders Fund manages approximately $17 billion in assets under management, having raised multiple flagship and growth funds, with its latest growth fund closing at $4.6 billion in 2023. The firm's investment strategy emphasizes trust in visionary entrepreneurs and a willingness to challenge conventional wisdom, evolving from initial focuses on consumer internet and social media to broader interests in transformative technologies addressing global challenges. Founders Fund invests across stages, from seed to late-stage, and geographies, though primarily in the United States, with notable forays into markets like Brazil via investments in Nubank. Its partners, drawing from experiences at PayPal, Palantir, and SpaceX, provide not just capital but strategic support to scale groundbreaking ventures. The organization maintains a lean structure with 11-50 employees and operates as a for-profit entity, funded through commitments from general partners like Thiel and external limited partners. Politically, Founders Fund is associated with libertarian and conservative leanings through Thiel's influence, including support for defense and technology policies, though direct organizational political activities are limited. The firm has no notable legal controversies in public records and continues to expand its portfolio, recently participating in rounds for companies like Databricks and Armada AI, underscoring its role in shaping networks of technological influence.