Founder.org

Founder.org

Tony Perkins, previously the founder of Red Herring magazine, launched Founder.org in 2012 to build a venture platform that sources and vets startups through global pitch competitions. The firm was conceived as a hybrid between a venture fund and a founder network, aiming to reduce the reliance on warm introductions that characterizes conventional VC. The firm invests across stages, from seed to Series A, with a sector-agnostic mandate that targets technology-enabled businesses. Confirmed portfolio companies include Zipline, the drone-delivery logistics company; Sphero, the robotics and toy company; and Owlet Baby Care, the infant health monitoring company (per public record). Deal flow comes primarily from the firm's Global Startup Competition, which has collected applications from entrepreneurs in over 100 countries. Geographic exposure spans North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Founder.org has not publicly disclosed its total assets under management or the size of its team. The firm maintains an office in San Francisco. Recent activity includes the appointment of Tony Perkins as managing partner and continued operation of its annual Founder.org Global Competition, the firm's primary sourcing mechanism. The key structural differentiator is Founder.org's competition-based sourcing model, which inverts the typical VC process. Founders submit applications that are evaluated publicly, with finalists pitching at live events. This open-application approach creates deal flow that is geographically and demographically broader than traditional VC networks, while also serving as a marketing and community-building tool for the firm.