Thread by Aleksandr Volodarsky
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- Jan 10, 2023
- #Startup #Fundraising
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Since 2011 Peter Thiel has been giving out $100K to college students to drop out and start a company.
Forbes wrote, "Thiel Fellows will create lesser successful companies than degree holders."
10 yrs later, they've founded some of the most breakthrough companies of the decade:
Forbes wrote, "Thiel Fellows will create lesser successful companies than degree holders."
10 yrs later, they've founded some of the most breakthrough companies of the decade:
1/ @ethereum
@VitalikButerin founded the 2nd-biggest cryptocurrency ($150B+, at peak it was $400B+).
Its merge reduced global electricity consumption by 0.2%.
2/ @figma
@zoink used the $100K grant to launch the collaborative design platform. Adobe acquired it for $20B+.
@VitalikButerin founded the 2nd-biggest cryptocurrency ($150B+, at peak it was $400B+).
Its merge reduced global electricity consumption by 0.2%.
2/ @figma
@zoink used the $100K grant to launch the collaborative design platform. Adobe acquired it for $20B+.
3/ Longevity VC
@LauraDeming wants to eliminate age-related diseases.
She started working in a biogerontology lab at age 12, & became a Thiel Fellow at 17 to work on her venture.
Today, it has amassed $1B+ in follow-on funding, & funded programs to expand the human lifespan.
@LauraDeming wants to eliminate age-related diseases.
She started working in a biogerontology lab at age 12, & became a Thiel Fellow at 17 to work on her venture.
Today, it has amassed $1B+ in follow-on funding, & funded programs to expand the human lifespan.
4/ @Taylor_Wilson
Taylor is an American nuclear physicist.
In 2008, he became the then youngest person to achieve controlled nuclear at age 14.
He received the $100K grant to expand applications for nuclear medicine.
Taylor is an American nuclear physicist.
In 2008, he became the then youngest person to achieve controlled nuclear at age 14.
He received the $100K grant to expand applications for nuclear medicine.
5/ @scale_AI
After becoming a Thiel Fellow in 2014, @lucy_guo co-founded the "data platform for AI."
Today, it’s a $7.3B company, generating $150M+ in revenue.
6/ @loom
@_shahedk co-founded the video messaging tool, which has 14M+ users & is valued at $1.5B+.
After becoming a Thiel Fellow in 2014, @lucy_guo co-founded the "data platform for AI."
Today, it’s a $7.3B company, generating $150M+ in revenue.
6/ @loom
@_shahedk co-founded the video messaging tool, which has 14M+ users & is valued at $1.5B+.
7/ @luminartech
Austin Russell dropped out of @Stanford at 18 after winning the Thiel Fellowship to build the company.
It makes sensors for autonomous vehicles for advanced safety and autonomy.
In 2020, it went public at a $3.2B valuation via SPAC.
Austin Russell dropped out of @Stanford at 18 after winning the Thiel Fellowship to build the company.
It makes sensors for autonomous vehicles for advanced safety and autonomy.
In 2020, it went public at a $3.2B valuation via SPAC.
8/ @Polkadot
Co-founded by Robert, it enables blockchain networks to operate together.
Today, it has a market cap of $5B+.
9/ @donotpay
@jbrowder1 founded AI it (which uses AI to help you generate demand letters, court filings, & more). Last valued at $210M.
Co-founded by Robert, it enables blockchain networks to operate together.
Today, it has a market cap of $5B+.
9/ @donotpay
@jbrowder1 founded AI it (which uses AI to help you generate demand letters, court filings, & more). Last valued at $210M.
10/ @Upstart
@paulxgu built the AI lending platform, which generates ~850M+ revenue, & is valued at $1B+ (at peak, it was $30B+).
11/ @oyorooms
With the grant, @riteshagar built the hospitality chain, which leases hotels & living spaces. It makes $600M+/yr in revenue.
@paulxgu built the AI lending platform, which generates ~850M+ revenue, & is valued at $1B+ (at peak, it was $30B+).
11/ @oyorooms
With the grant, @riteshagar built the hospitality chain, which leases hotels & living spaces. It makes $600M+/yr in revenue.
12/ @Forge_Global
Founded by @sohailprasad, it provides data, services, & other means to help you buy & sell private company shares. It made $121M+ in revenue in 2021.
13/ @freenome
@RileyCEnnis founded the biotech startup—a platform for early cancer detection.
Founded by @sohailprasad, it provides data, services, & other means to help you buy & sell private company shares. It made $121M+ in revenue in 2021.
13/ @freenome
@RileyCEnnis founded the biotech startup—a platform for early cancer detection.
14/ @TheOceanCleanup
The $100K grant helped @BoyanSlat to drop out and found the non-profit to build technologies to eliminate ocean waste.
To date, it has removed 2M+ Kg of trash from oceans and rivers.
It aims to clean up 90% of floating ocean plastic pollution.
The $100K grant helped @BoyanSlat to drop out and found the non-profit to build technologies to eliminate ocean waste.
To date, it has removed 2M+ Kg of trash from oceans and rivers.
It aims to clean up 90% of floating ocean plastic pollution.
15/ @GetSTORD
@seanhenryatl built Stord—a platform that helps businesses to build, expand, & optimize their physical supply chain operations with the speed, flexibility, and ease of modern cloud software.
Today, it generates $200M+/yr in revenue and is valued at $1.3B+.
@seanhenryatl built Stord—a platform that helps businesses to build, expand, & optimize their physical supply chain operations with the speed, flexibility, and ease of modern cloud software.
Today, it generates $200M+/yr in revenue and is valued at $1.3B+.
16/ @Curative (h/t @zaidrmn)
Founded by @FredTurnerBio, it's an employer-based health insurance plan (valued at $1B+).
17/ @Hired_HQ
@sujaytyle founded the talent marketplace, which was recently acquired.
Founded by @FredTurnerBio, it's an employer-based health insurance plan (valued at $1B+).
17/ @Hired_HQ
@sujaytyle founded the talent marketplace, which was recently acquired.
18/ @Rapid_API
@iddogino build the API platform, on which you can build, use, and share 1000s of APIs. It's valued at $1B+.
There are many more.
@regardthefrost, co-founder of Thiel Fellowship, deep dives here: www.linkedin.com/pulse/ten-years-ago-we-created-thiel-fellowship-jim-o-neill/
@iddogino build the API platform, on which you can build, use, and share 1000s of APIs. It's valued at $1B+.
There are many more.
@regardthefrost, co-founder of Thiel Fellowship, deep dives here: www.linkedin.com/pulse/ten-years-ago-we-created-thiel-fellowship-jim-o-neill/
@Rapid_API @iddogino @regardthefrost The Thiel Fellowship is extremely competitive.
Its acceptance rate is a mere 0.1% (compared to Harvard's 4%, Yale's 5.3%, and Stanford's 3.9%).
So, what qualities do the best founders have?
Its acceptance rate is a mere 0.1% (compared to Harvard's 4%, Yale's 5.3%, and Stanford's 3.9%).
So, what qualities do the best founders have?
That's the wrap.
Let me know if you are building something.
I run a marketplace of vetted engineers from Europe and Latam. We help startups to hire them directly to your team for temp or long-term projects.
Happy to give a 15% discount for the first 4 weeks of work.
Let me know if you are building something.
I run a marketplace of vetted engineers from Europe and Latam. We help startups to hire them directly to your team for temp or long-term projects.
Happy to give a 15% discount for the first 4 weeks of work.
If not:
1. Follow me @volodarik. I share everything on the way to growing to $100m/y. People say it's fun to watch.
2. RT the tweet below to share this thread with your audience.
1. Follow me @volodarik. I share everything on the way to growing to $100m/y. People say it's fun to watch.
2. RT the tweet below to share this thread with your audience.
