tim draper

Tim Draper (Timothy Cook Draper), born on June 11, 1958, is a prominent American venture capital investor known for founding several notable entities in the investment and entrepreneurial spheres. Draper comes from a family with a history of venture capitalism and government service. His father, William Henry Draper III, founded Draper & Johnson Investment Company, and his grandfather, William Henry Draper Jr., served as the first ambassador to NATO. He attended Phillips Academy Andover before earning a BS in electrical engineering from Stanford University in 1980. Later, he obtained an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1984. Draper's venture capital journey began in 1985 when he established his own firm, Draper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ). Over the years, DFJ became a renowned name in the industry, backing numerous successful ventures. He made early investments in companies like Hotmail, Skype, Baidu, and Tesla, which later proved to be highly lucrative. Draper was among the first Silicon Valley investors to recognize the potential of Bitcoin. He made headlines in 2014 when he purchased a significant number of bitcoins seized from the Silk Road marketplace. Known for his bullish predictions on Bitcoin, Draper has been vocal about his belief in its long-term potential, making bold forecasts about its future value. In addition to his involvement in technology and finance, Draper has supported ventures in artificial intelligence, blockchain, smart contracts, and computational genomics, aiming to revolutionize various industries such as finance, healthcare, and government. Draper's recent investments include companies like Robinhood, Coinbase, eShares, Tezos, DefiMoneyMarket, and OpenGov. These investments reflect his focus on emerging technologies and their applications across different sectors. Overall, Timothy Cook Draper's career exemplifies his pioneering spirit and keen eye for innovative opportunities, making him a significant figure in the world of venture capital and entrepreneurship.