David O. Sacks
Description
David O. Sacks is a highly influential venture capitalist and entrepreneur, widely recognized for his pivotal roles in the technology industry. A prominent member of the 'PayPal Mafia,' he served as PayPal's first COO, contributing significantly to its early growth before its acquisition by eBay. Sacks later founded Yammer, an enterprise social network that achieved considerable success, culminating in its acquisition by Microsoft for $1.2 billion in 2012. His operational acumen was further demonstrated during his tenure as COO and interim CEO at Zenefits, where he led a significant turnaround.
In 2017, Sacks co-founded Craft Ventures with Bill Lee and Jeff Fluhr, establishing a venture capital firm focused on investing in early-stage and growth-stage technology companies. Craft Ventures primarily targets B2B SaaS, marketplace, and fintech companies, leveraging the partners' deep operational experience to provide hands-on support to their portfolio. The firm is known for its founder-friendly approach and its emphasis on helping companies scale efficiently.
Craft Ventures has grown substantially, demonstrating its commitment to the startup ecosystem. In 2022, the firm announced a new fund totaling $1.12 billion, split between a $612 million early-stage fund and a $510 million growth fund, underscoring their capacity to support companies across various stages of development. David Sacks' investment philosophy often emphasizes strong product-market fit, defensible business models, and exceptional founding teams, making Craft Ventures a sought-after partner for ambitious entrepreneurs.
Investor Profile
David O. Sacks has backed more than 46 startups, with 0 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 6 rounds, about 13% of its total and boasts 18 exits across its portfolio.
Investment Focus Highlights
- Concentrates on Seed, Series A, Angel rounds (top funding stages).
- Majority of deals are located in United States, Israel, Germany.
- Strong thematic focus on Software, Information Technology, SaaS.
- Typical check size: $5M – $25M.
Stage Focus
- Seed (35%)
- Series A (35%)
- Angel (11%)
- Series B (9%)
- Series C (7%)
- Series Unknown (2%)
- Debt Financing (2%)
Country Focus
- United States (96%)
- Israel (2%)
- Germany (2%)
Industry Focus
- Software
- Information Technology
- Saas
- Internet
- Enterprise Software
- E-commerce
- Social Media
- Mobile
- Financial Services
- Logistics
Frequently Asked Questions
Learn who this investor regularly partners with—both firms and angels—and explore their latest activity.
