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Founder.org
Yope awards $100K and a 6-month founder mentorships to the early-stage university founders in US & Europe. | Founded by Michael Baum, founder of Splunk...
Founder.org
Yope awards $100K and a 6-month founder mentorships to the early-stage university founders in US & Europe. | Founded by Michael Baum, founder of Splunk ($28B exit), Yope runs an annual Awards and Fellowship Program with $100K funding for young and early stage founders from US & European universities and research labs. Yope has backed 80 startups that have raised over $3.5B in capital to build solutions in industries like AI, climate tech, health/medical, space, transportation, and robotics.
General information
Firm type
Venture Capital
Year founded
2012
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
San Francisco
Corporate office
San Francisco, CA, United States
Principals
Tony Perkins
Founder & CEO
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Founder.org?
Tony Perkins, founder and CEO, is the key decision-maker. The firm's investment committee has not been publicly disclosed, but Perkin's background includes founding Red Herring magazine, a Silicon Valley technology publication.
How does Founder.org source proprietary deal flow?
Founder.org's primary deal sourcing mechanism is its annual Global Startup Competition, a public application process that attracts entrepreneurs from over 100 countries. This open platform reduces reliance on traditional VC networking and provides a geographically diverse pipeline.
Is Founder.org structured as a single family office or does it operate more like a venture firm?
Founder.org operates as a venture capital firm, not a family office. It manages a pool of capital from external investors and uses the proceeds to invest in early-stage startups sourced through its competition model.
Does Founder.org participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
Founder.org is a direct venture capital investor, making equity investments in early-stage companies. There is no public record of the firm engaging in fund-of-funds or secondary investments.
What investment stages does Founder.org typically target?
Founder.org invests across seed and Series A stages. The firm's portfolio includes companies at various points in their lifecycle, from product development to initial commercial traction.
Which sectors does Founder.org explicitly avoid?
The firm does not publicly exclude any sectors, but its portfolio concentrates on technology-driven companies in enterprise software, digital health, AI, fintech, and climate tech. No explicit avoidance list is available.
What is the relationship between Founder.org and Tony Perkins' earlier Red Herring magazine?
Tony Perkins founded Red Herring magazine in 1993, which chronicled the dot-com boom and identified emerging tech companies. The magazine's network and credibility provided the foundation for Perkins' move into venture capital with Founder.org.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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