Brian Singerman
Brian Singerman | |
---|---|
Born | 1976 or 1977 (age 47–48) |
Education | Stanford University (BS) |
Occupation | Partner at Founders Fund |
Known for | Founder of iGoogle |
Brian Singerman (born 1976 or 1977[1]) is an American venture capitalist and businessman. He is a partner emeritus at Founders Fund, a San Francisco-based venture capital firm with over $11 billion under management.[2]
Early life and education
[edit]Singerman graduated from Stanford University in 1999 with a B.S. in Computer Science.[1] Following Stanford, he joined the virtual-world online start-up There as a software engineer.[3]
Career
[edit]In 2004, Singerman joined Google where he spent four years as an engineer and executive. At Google, he founded the personal web portal, iGoogle.[4]
During his tenure at Google, Singerman began his investment career, launching a $1 million fund called XGYC Fund, short for "ex-Google, Y Combinator."[5]
Founders Fund
[edit]In 2008, Singerman joined Founders Fund, where he works alongside Peter Thiel and Ken Howery.[6] He focuses on healthcare, biotechnology, wearable computing, and robotics.
Singerman has been a board director for several companies, including Affirm, Cloud9, Emerald Therapeutics, The Long-Term Stock Exchange, Oscar Health, and Postmates. Additionally, he has served as a board observer for Airbnb, Forward, and Wish.[7]
On December 3, 2024, Singerman announced his transition to the role of partner emeritus at Founders Fund, planning to continue as a strategic advisor while prioritizing a new work-life balance.[8]
Notable investments
[edit]One of Singerman's most prominent investments was in Stemcentrx, a biotechnology firm focused on cancer therapies. In April 2016, AbbVie acquired Stemcentrx in a transaction valued at up to $10.2 billion, marking the largest portfolio exit in Founders Fund's history.[9] However, in 2019, AbbVie shuttered Stemcentrx after its lead cancer drug, Rova-T, failed to outperform placebo in a Phase 3 clinical trial.[10]
He has also been involved in investments in Oculus VR (acquired by Facebook) and Postmates (acquired by Uber).[11]
Personal life
[edit]Singerman resides in San Francisco, California.[12]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Move Over, Peter Thiel -- How Brian Singerman Became Founders Fund's Top VC". Forbes. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
- ^ "A look inside Founders Fund, as it closes on $5 billion across two new funds". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
- ^ "Founders Fund: The Most Exclusive Tech Conference Ever". Inc. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
- ^ "Founders Fund: Is This the Most Exclusive Tech Conference Ever". Inc. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
- ^ "Move Over, Peter Thiel -- How Brian Singerman Became Founders Fund's Top VC". Forbes. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
- ^ "A look inside Founders Fund". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
- ^ "Move Over, Peter Thiel -- How Brian Singerman Became Founders Fund's Top VC". Forbes. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
- ^ "Brian Singerman Reduces Investing Role at Peter Thiel's Founders Fund". Bloomberg. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ "Stemcentrx Sale to Return a Record $1.7 Billion for VC Firm Founders Fund". Bloomberg. 2016-04-28.
- ^ "$5.8B for Nothing: AbbVie Shelves Stemcentrx Drug After Latest Flop". Xconomy. 2019-08-29. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
- ^ "Move Over, Peter Thiel -- How Brian Singerman Became Founders Fund's Top VC". Forbes.
- ^ "Brian Singerman profile". Forbes. Retrieved 3 December 2024.