Led by controversial Palantir founder Jon Lonsdale, 8VC has raised $880 million in its fifth fund. With this new investment, the firm plans to invest back into early-stage startups and tech companies that are making a positive impact on the world.
Lonsdale’s blog post underscores 8VC’s focus on solving global problems. The firm has already invested in companies such as Carbon38, a startup that is developing technology to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide produced by businesses. Lonsdale says that he wants 8VC to be “the venture capital arm for solving the world’s biggest challenges.”
8VC was created by bitcoin entrepreneur Tim Draper to invest in young tech companies. The new fund plans to invest in a wide range of industries, averaging out to smaller checks than Draper’s other investment firms.
The move to Austin by 8VC was likely motivated in part by the city’s reputation as being more tolerant of ideological diversity than San Francisco. Lonsdale has been a vocal critic of the Bay Area and its left-leaning culture, and he believes that too many hippies run California. He seems to enjoy having a group of left-minded people around for the culture and aesthetic benefits they provide, but accepts that they can also be aggravating at times.
Houston is growing in popularity as a business and startup location. The city has many advantages, like an abundance of talent, access to capital, and other resources. Houston 8VC’s new headquarters amply demonstrate why the city is becoming a hot spot for entrepreneurs. The building features offices for both 8VC and its venture capital partners, as well as lots of collaborative space for startups to work together. It’s already become home to many promising businesses, including meal-delivery app PeachDish and cybersecurity startup Flyrera Labs.
The Lone Star Capital Venture Fund is best known for investing in startups in Texas. The fund has so far invested more than $300 million in companies, and it is believed to be the biggest Texas-based venture fund for startups.
Lonsdale is preaching to the converted in his post, as most entrepreneurs are focused on their individual businesses. But what he does highlight is that entrepreneurship can be a force for good – it can help to transform our societies and advance new technologies.
8VC is one of Silicon Valley’s most prolific venture capitalists. Over the years, it has invested in companies spanning a variety of industries, including logistics, life sciences, healthcare, IT infrastructure, government and defense, financial services, consumer and enterprise. This diversity makes 8VC an excellent investment partner for fledgling companies who need access to a wide range of capital resources. Additionally, through its investment in Asana and Blendable Technologies – two leading SV Angel-backed startups – 8VC has demonstrated its commitment to helping early-stage tech companies thrive.
Lonsdale has been loudly proclaiming his progressive views on social media and in interviews, but some of his actions – such as trying to start a mutiny against some of his earlier investment partners – have led to doubts about how committed he is to those values.
Lonsdale’s tweet suggests that she believes that taking paternity leave is a sign of weakness. This underscores the importance of family-friendly policies in order to encourage fathers to take time off work to care for their newborns. While Lonsdale’s opinion may be extreme, it speaks to the need for workplaces across the United States to offer more affordable and comprehensive paternity leave policies.
In response to the hundreds of thousands of people who have taken to social media to criticize him, Kanye West has frequently released statements in which he clarifies his intentions or excuses his actions. Some of these clarifications have led to further backlash from those who feel that West was not properly sensitive to the feelings of those he offended. In one such instance, after asserting that slavery was a choice and stating that “George Bush didn’t care about black people
What is fascinating about Austin, according to Lonsdale, is that politics can be discussed in a civil manner – which makes it different from other liberal cities. Boundaries between individuals and groups are usually more rigid in large cities, but in Austin, people are more likely to get along and work together. This atmosphere of civility has made the city a popular destination for libertarians and others who prefer a less tense political environment.
Lonsdale said the community in Texas was more healthy because it was far less politicized than in San Francisco. He hoped that this would be maintained in the new state of Texas.
8VC is a popular venture capital firm that has raised capital from numerous investors including individuals, family offices, and large institutional investors. The company has also been active in raising special purpose vehicles (SPV) which allows it to invest in a variety of different startups. As of 2021, 8VC closed its last flagship fund with $640 million in commitments. In recent years, the company has raised various SPVs that invest in various startup sectors including cyber security, blockchain technology, and health care.