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Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation was established in September 2000 by Gordon E. Moore and Betty I. Moore. The endowment originated from proceeds tied to...
Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation was established in September 2000 by Gordon E. Moore and Betty I. Moore. The endowment originated from proceeds tied to Intel Corporation. Kenneth Moore, son of the founders, serves as chairman of the board. The foundation allocates across private equity, venture capital, and public market index holdings. Asset-class exposure includes buyout, growth, early-stage, and secondaries strategies. Confirmed positions include CP Investment Fund, Melford Capital Partners, HighBrook Investors, and Sequoia Capital. Geographic reach covers the United States and United Kingdom through limited-partner commitments, with program activity extending to Hawaii via the Thirty Meter Telescope project and global conservation grants. The organization maintains 51 professionals and operates an investment office in San Francisco in addition to the Palo Alto headquarters. Cambridge Associates has served as investment advisor since 2000. In October 2025 the foundation participated as a panelist at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi. Cumulative grants since inception exceed $6 billion. The foundation operates as a private grant-making entity with board oversight from the Moore family. This structure separates philanthropic distributions from investment management while maintaining direct control over capital allocation decisions through internal staff and retained advisors.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
2000
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Palo Alto
Corporate office
1661 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304, United States
Additional offices
San Francisco, CA, United States
Principals
Kenneth Moore
Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Aileen Lee
President
Denise Strack
Chief Investment Officer
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation?
Denise Strack serves as chief investment officer. Cambridge Associates has acted as investment advisor since 2000. The board, chaired by Kenneth Moore, provides oversight.
How does the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation source proprietary deal flow?
The foundation participates as a limited partner in funds managed by Sequoia Capital, HighBrook Investors, and Melford Capital Partners. It also maintains direct program commitments such as the Thirty Meter Telescope.
Does the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
The foundation acts as a limited partner in multiple private equity and venture vehicles. It also executes direct program funding such as the $200 million Thirty Meter Telescope commitment.
What investment stages does the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation typically target?
The foundation maintains exposure to early-stage venture, growth equity, buyout, and secondaries strategies through its limited-partner commitments.
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
The endowment originated from Gordon E. Moore's holdings in Intel Corporation, which he co-founded.
Does the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation maintain philanthropic structures, and how are they separated?
The foundation itself functions as the primary grant-making vehicle. Over $6 billion in cumulative grants have been distributed since 2000, focused on science, conservation, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
What is the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation's known posture on co-investments alongside external GPs?
The foundation holds limited-partner positions in funds that include co-investment provisions. It also executes direct commitments outside of fund structures, such as the Thirty Meter Telescope project.
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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