Question 1

How many companies has Kleiner Perkins invested in?

Accepted Answer

Kleiner Perkins has made more than 1,400 investments across multiple funds since its founding in 1972. These investments span various sectors and have included some of the most transformative technology companies.

Question 2

What are some notable companies in Kleiner Perkins' portfolio?

Accepted Answer

Kleiner Perkins' portfolio includes companies such as Sun Microsystems, Amazon, Google, Intuit, Slack, Spotify, Figma, and Motive. These investments represent pivotal moments in technology and have had significant market impact.

Question 3

What are the names and sizes of Kleiner Perkins' most recent funds?

Accepted Answer

In 2024, Kleiner Perkins launched KP21, an $825 million fund dedicated to early-stage companies, and Select III, a $1.2 billion growth fund for high-inflection investments. These funds reflect the firm's dual-track approach to early and growth-stage opportunities.

Question 4

What is Kleiner Perkins' approach to diversity and inclusion?

Accepted Answer

Kleiner Perkins has made explicit commitments to diversity and inclusion, believing that diverse teams lead to better decision-making and innovation. The firm actively seeks out startups led by underrepresented founders and has built a partnership team with varied backgrounds and expertise.

Question 5

What is the current organizational structure of Kleiner Perkins?

Accepted Answer

Kleiner Perkins maintains a deliberately lean organizational structure, with nine full-time investing partners. This structure is designed to enhance decision quality, maintain agility, and allow for deep engagement with portfolio companies.

Question 6

What is the decision-making process at Kleiner Perkins?

Accepted Answer

Kleiner Perkins employs a 'balance sheet' approach in which partners list pros and cons of investment opportunities without initially revealing their judgments. This process encourages structured debate and reduces bias, with consensus built after comprehensive evaluation.

Question 7

What is the focus of Kleiner Perkins' Select funds?

Accepted Answer

Kleiner Perkins' Select funds, such as Select III, are dedicated to backing companies at inflection points where early market validation has been achieved and the primary challenge is scaling operations, go-to-market efforts, and organizational infrastructure.

Question 8

What is the geographic focus of Kleiner Perkins?

Accepted Answer

Kleiner Perkins maintains its primary office in Menlo Park, California, with additional offices in New York and involvement in global technology markets, including China, India, and select European jurisdictions. The firm focuses on regions with high concentrations of technology entrepreneurship.

Question 9

What is the investment philosophy of Kleiner Perkins?

Accepted Answer

Kleiner Perkins' investment philosophy prioritizes exceptional founders, large and growing market opportunities, product innovation, and sustainable business models. The firm values founders with deep market understanding and a strong vision, and seeks companies with clear paths to profitability and competitive advantages.

Question 10

What is the 'keiretsu' model at Kleiner Perkins?

Accepted Answer

Kleiner Perkins' 'keiretsu' refers to its network of more than 250 portfolio companies and industry allies. This network enables portfolio companies to collaborate, refer business, and recruit talent, providing advantages beyond capital investment.

Question 11

What is the main competitive advantage of Kleiner Perkins' current operational model?

Accepted Answer

Kleiner Perkins' lean operational model, with approximately nine full-time investors, allows for rapid decision-making, deeper due diligence, and more intensive support for portfolio companies compared to larger, more bureaucratic firms.

Question 12

What is the main investment focus of Kleiner Perkins as of 2024?

Accepted Answer

As of 2024, Kleiner Perkins has positioned artificial intelligence as the dominant theme in its investment strategy. The firm targets companies building foundational AI infrastructure, AI-powered productivity tools for high-value professions, and applications with clear value propositions.

Question 13

What is the main thesis behind Kleiner Perkins' AI investments?

Accepted Answer

Kleiner Perkins' AI investment thesis focuses on companies building foundational AI infrastructure and AI-powered productivity tools for high-paying professions such as doctors, lawyers, and engineers. The firm believes these tools can command premium pricing and create significant value.

Question 14

What is the role of board participation at Kleiner Perkins?

Accepted Answer

Kleiner Perkins partners systematically take board seats across their investments, ensuring direct involvement in strategic decision-making and governance oversight for portfolio companies. This practice extends the firm's influence and enables proactive support.

Question 15

What is the role of John Doerr at Kleiner Perkins?

Accepted Answer

John Doerr serves as chairman of Kleiner Perkins. He joined the firm in 1980 and has played a key role in funding companies such as Google, Amazon, and Netscape. Doerr is also known for advocating Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) and for his philanthropic work.

Question 16

What is the role of Mamoon Hamid at Kleiner Perkins?

Accepted Answer

Mamoon Hamid serves as a managing partner at Kleiner Perkins, having joined in 2017. He is a principal architect of the firm's AI investment strategy, focusing on AI-powered tools for high-income professional categories and serving on the board of Figma.

Question 17

What is the role of operational support at Kleiner Perkins?

Accepted Answer

Kleiner Perkins offers operational support to portfolio companies through specialists in finance, operations, marketing, and engineering. This support includes talent recruitment, building engineering cultures, and facilitating introductions and partnerships within its network.

Question 18

What is the role of technical due diligence at Kleiner Perkins?

Accepted Answer

Kleiner Perkins conducts technical due diligence for companies addressing technical or scientific challenges. Partners with deep technical expertise evaluate proprietary algorithms, data sources, and model performance against industry benchmarks before making investment decisions.

Question 19

What is the 'seed-strapped' company trend identified by Kleiner Perkins?

Accepted Answer

Kleiner Perkins partner Leigh Marie Braswell identified 'seed-strapped' companies as those that raise a few million dollars in seed funding and achieve rapid growth and strong unit economics, often generating enough cash flow to fund expansion without needing traditional Series A financing.

Question 20

What is the significance of Kleiner Perkins' location on Sand Hill Road?

Accepted Answer

Kleiner Perkins' decision to open its office on Sand Hill Road in Menlo Park made it the first venture capital firm to establish a formal presence there. This location became the epicenter of American venture capital, attracting many other top firms.

Question 21

What is the structure of Kleiner Perkins' funds as of 2025?

Accepted Answer

As of early 2025, Kleiner Perkins has raised 21 venture capital funds and 6 growth funds. The most recent funds include KP21 ($825 million for early-stage) and KP Select III ($1.2 billion for growth-stage investments), totaling $2 billion in new capital.

Question 22

What is the total assets under management (AUM) for Kleiner Perkins?

Accepted Answer

As of early 2025, Kleiner Perkins manages assets exceeding $10 billion. This capital base allows the firm to participate in competitive funding rounds and support portfolio companies through multiple funding cycles.

Question 23

What is the typical check size for Kleiner Perkins' early-stage investments?

Accepted Answer

For early-stage investments, particularly through the KP21 fund, Kleiner Perkins typically writes checks ranging from $2 million to $20 million. These investments are made across seed through Series B stages, allowing the firm to establish meaningful ownership positions.

Question 24

What is the typical evaluation timeline for investments at Kleiner Perkins?

Accepted Answer

Kleiner Perkins' evaluation process for potential investments often extends over three to six months. This period includes multiple meetings with founders, technical deep-dives, and discussions with potential customers to validate market opportunity.

Question 25

When was Kleiner Perkins founded?

Accepted Answer

Kleiner Perkins was established in 1972 by Eugene Kleiner and Tom Perkins. The firm was created during a period when venture capital was transitioning from an informal, relationship-driven practice into a structured institutional investment model.

Question 26

Where is Kleiner Perkins headquartered?

Accepted Answer

Kleiner Perkins established its headquarters on Sand Hill Road in Menlo Park, California. This location became the epicenter of American venture capital, eventually hosting many of the industry's largest firms.

Question 27

Who are the current managing partners at Kleiner Perkins?

Accepted Answer

Mamoon Hamid and Ilya Fushman lead Kleiner Perkins as managing partners. They have been instrumental in restructuring the firm into a focused venture boutique, emphasizing early-stage investments and AI expertise.

Question 28

Who is Leigh Marie Braswell and what is her role at Kleiner Perkins?

Accepted Answer

Leigh Marie Braswell is a partner at Kleiner Perkins with expertise in machine learning and AI applications. She previously worked at Scale AI and leads investments in AI infrastructure and productivity tools, contributing to the firm's AI-focused strategy.

Question 29

Who were the founders of Kleiner Perkins?

Accepted Answer

Kleiner Perkins was founded by Eugene Kleiner, a former Fairchild Semiconductor engineer, and Tom Perkins, who had held leadership positions at Hewlett-Packard. Their combined expertise in engineering and business operations shaped the firm's early direction.