文章盘点圣马特奥的20家顶级风险投资机构，介绍其在创业投资生态中的地位，并提到从早期投资者 Draper Associates 到大型机构 Benchmark 等代表性公司。
San Mateo remains a central hub for founders looking to raise capital. Some of the industry's most established investors are here, with firms like Redpoint and Benchmark having backed over 1,500 companies between them.
Beyond the well-known names, there are many other funds focused on everything from early-stage deep tech to enterprise software. We've gathered the most promising firms for founders to get to know.
Below is our list of the best 20 VC firms in San Mateo.
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Draper Associates backs visionary founders at the earliest stages, investing globally in companies aiming to transform entire industries. Their portfolio includes foundational technology companies such as Tesla, SpaceX, Coinbase, and Robinhood, reflecting a strategy of supporting ambitious, high-growth ventures.
Year Founded2015 FoundersTim Draper Total Funding$230MIndustriesGovernment Technology, Life Sciences, Biotech, Food & Beverage, Crypto & Blockchain, Education, Energy, Fintech, Healthcare, Mobility, Legal, Aerospace & SpaceInvestment StageCrowdfunding, Early Stage, Non Equity Assistance, Private Equity, SeedNº of Investments436 (123 as Lead Investor) Nº of Exits73 (7 IPO'd) Top Portfolio StartupsPhantom Neuro, UnumID, sHMOODYContactplans@draper.vcWith a unique structure of five equal partners offering hands-on support, Benchmark backs early-stage entrepreneurs in mobile, marketplaces, and enterprise software. They have helped build some of the most recognizable names in tech, including Uber, Snapchat, Twitter, and eBay.
Year Founded1995 FoundersAndy Rachleff, Bob Kagle, Kevin Harvey Total Funding$2.5BAverage Check Size$15MIndustriesCybersecurity, Hardware, Social, Marketplace, Cloud, Consumer, DTC, Infrastructure, SaaSInvestment StageEarly Stage, Late Stage, Post-Ipo, SeedNº of Investments727 (244 as Lead Investor) Nº of Exits197 (51 IPO'd) Top Portfolio StartupsTwitter, Wework, Snap IncSierra Ventures invests in early-stage startups that are creating the next generation of enterprise and emerging technologies. Building on a portfolio that includes Intuit and Teradata, they offer founders access to a deep network of corporate executives and industry experts.
Year Founded1982 FoundersPeter Wendell Investment StageEarly Stage, Late Stage, SeedNº of Investments435 (146 as Lead Investor) Nº of Exits95 (8 IPO'd) Contactinfo@sierraventures.com / 650.854.1000Since 1999, Redpoint has backed founders from seed to growth stages, helping them build companies that create new markets and reshape existing ones. Their track record includes helping launch companies like DraftKings, Sonos, and Zendesk across consumer, fintech, and infrastructure sectors.
Year Founded1999 FoundersBrad Jones, Geoff Yang, John Walecka, Timothy Haley, Tom Dyal, Travis Bryant Total Funding$4.5BAverage Check Size$10MIndustriesCrypto & Blockchain, Consumer, Fintech, Healthcare, InfrastructureInvestment StageEarly Stage, Late Stage, Seed, Series A, Series B, Series CNº of Investments819 (255 as Lead Investor) Nº of Exits175 (35 IPO'd) Top Portfolio StartupsZendesk, Draftkings, SonosContact1 650-926-5600Defy provides seed funding to entrepreneurs with high-potential ideas, focusing on the conviction and talent of the founding team. The firm works closely with founders, offering hands-on support during the crucial growth phase that follows an initial investment.
Year Founded2016 FoundersNeil Sequeira, Phebe Chen Tran, Trae Vassallo Investment StageEarly Stage, Late Stage, SeedNº of Investments113 (43 as Lead Investor) Nº of Exits15 (1 IPO'd) Contacthello@defy.vc / 650 530 0193Forgepoint Capital partners with early-stage entrepreneurs to build transformative cybersecurity and infrastructure software companies. They bring the largest sector-focused investment team and an advisory council of nearly 100 industry leaders to support founders building the next generation of digital security.
Year Founded2015 FoundersAlberto Yepez, Donald Dixon Investment StageEarly Stage, Late StageNº of Investments72 (42 as Lead Investor) Nº of Exits17 (3 IPO'd) Contacttloh@forgepointcap.com / +1 650 289 4455DNX Ventures backs early-stage B2B startups, helping them secure initial customers and validate their product-market fit. Since 2011, the firm has used its deep connections with corporate executives to build over 100 partnerships between its startups and Fortune 500 companies.
Year Founded2011 FoundersMitch Kitamura, Q Motiwala, Tetsujiro Nakagaki Investment StageEarly Stage, Late Stage, SeedNº of Investments294 (85 as Lead Investor) Nº of Exits42 (8 IPO'd) Contacthello@dnx.vc / (858) 449-4173Ballistic Ventures directs its capital and enthusiasm toward early-stage cybersecurity entrepreneurs. The firm provides founders with the collective experience and network of a team composed entirely of security experts.
Year Founded2021 FoundersBarmak Meftah, Derek Smith, Jake Seid, Kevin Mandia, Roger Thornton, Ted Schlein Investment StageEarly StageNº of Investments68 (21 as Lead Investor) Nº of Exits8 (2 IPO'd) Contactinfo@ballisticventures.comBlueRun Ventures invests in companies from seed to late stage, with a focus on information technology, mobile, and consumer tech. They helped build foundational companies like PayPal and Waze, guiding them to successful acquisitions.
Year Founded1998 FoundersJohn Malloy Investment StageEarly Stage, Late Stage, SeedNº of Investments219 (69 as Lead Investor) Nº of Exits42 (6 IPO'd) Contactventures@brv.com / +1 650 462 7252Focusing on deep tech, Boost VC provides pre-seed and seed funding to founders building the future in sectors like aerospace, crypto, and biotech. They lead the first investment round of $2M or less, giving ambitious startups the capital needed to launch.
Year Founded2012 FoundersAdam Draper, Brayton Williams Total Funding$85.2MAverage Check Size$500kIndustriesAerospace & Space, Energy, Climate & Sustainability, Robotics, Crypto & Blockchain, Biotech, AR & VRInvestment StageEarly Stage, Seed, Pre-SeedNº of Investments333 (48 as Lead Investor) Nº of Exits37 (3 IPO'd) Top Portfolio StartupsSource Energy Company, GGs.io, ImYooContactinfo@boost.vc10 Additional San Mateo VC Firms Worth Pitching
Our top picks are just the beginning of what San Mateo's funding scene has to offer. The next group of firms has collectively backed over 500 startups and guided more than 100 to an exit.
There are many more investors doing important work in the area. Here’s a look at the other venture capital firms funding what's next in San Mateo.