1517 Fund is an early-stage venture capital firm that champions young, unconventional founders, including college dropouts, self-taught engineers, and deep tech scientists. Inspired by the spirit of the Thiel Fellowship, they provide pre-seed and seed funding, often being the first institutional capital for companies. 1517 focuses on individuals with a strong bias for action and a clear vision for building the future, typically in technology-driven sectors. Beyond capital, they offer mentorship, a supportive community, and grants for individuals to explore ambitious projects.
Serves as a primary hub for investment strategy, deal sourcing, portfolio management, and operations, although the team operates in a distributed manner.
Focuses on functional and collaborative spaces that reflect their lean and founder-centric approach, rather than opulent architectural displays.
A dynamic, intellectually stimulating environment that champions unconventional thinking, rapid iteration, and a strong belief in individual potential. The culture is deeply supportive of young innovators pursuing non-traditional paths.
Strategic presence in a key global technology and innovation hub, facilitating access to talent, co-investors, and a vibrant startup ecosystem. This complements their distributed team model, allowing for broader reach.
1517 Fund actively invests in and supports early-stage technology companies founded by young innovators across the globe. Their global functions include remote due diligence for international startups, virtual mentorship programs, access to a worldwide network of experts and collaborators, and providing capital to founders regardless of their geographical location. This approach fosters innovation internationally and allows them to back promising talent wherever it emerges.
Specific street address not publicly listed; primary operations in San Francisco.
San Francisco
CA
USA
Address: Specific address not publicly listed; operates as a key hub for team members in a distributed model.
To engage with and support the rapidly growing startup ecosystem in Austin and the broader Southwest, providing a strategic presence for sourcing talent and investment opportunities outside traditional coastal tech hubs.
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As of April 2025, 1517 Fund' leadership includes:
1517 Fund has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including:
1517 Fund maintains a stable core leadership team focused on its investment mission. There have been no major publicly announced executive hires or departures in the last 12 months. The fund's continuity in leadership underscores its consistent investment strategy and founder support.
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1517 Fund primarily utilizes a straightforward email format for its team members, typically based on the employee's first name.
[firstname]@1517fund.com
Format
michael@1517fund.com
Example
95%
Success rate
Forbes • May 17, 2023
Forbes highlighted 1517 Fund in an article discussing venture capitalists who are looking beyond traditional Ivy League backgrounds to find and invest in the next generation of innovators. The piece underscores 1517's commitment to young talent from diverse paths....more
Business Insider • March 10, 2023
Business Insider featured 1517 Fund as a notable venture capital firm actively seeking out and backing young, ambitious founders, including those who have opted out of traditional college education to build their startups....more
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