Farzad Nazem

Farzad "Zod" Nazem is a highly respected and influential angel investor, recognized for his profound impact on the technology startup ecosystem following a distinguished career. Before transitioning into venture capital, Nazem served as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Yahoo! from 1996 to 2007, a pivotal period during which he oversaw the company's massive technical infrastructure and product development. His tenure at Yahoo!, spanning over a decade, provided him with invaluable experience in scaling internet companies and navigating complex technological landscapes, which he now leverages in his investment activities.

Since his retirement from Yahoo!, Nazem has become a prolific angel investor and strategic advisor, primarily focusing on early-stage technology companies. He is known for his deep technical insights and operational expertise, often providing more than just capital to his portfolio companies. Nazem typically seeks out disruptive technologies and strong founding teams, particularly in areas such as enterprise software, cloud infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. His investment philosophy emphasizes long-term growth and a hands-on approach, where he can mentor founders and contribute to product and engineering strategies.

Farzad Nazem's investment portfolio boasts an impressive list of companies that have achieved significant success, including several unicorns and publicly traded entities. He was notably an early investor in Zoom, a company that revolutionized video conferencing and achieved a market capitalization of over $100 billion at its peak. His portfolio also includes other high-profile names such as Palantir, Databricks, Rubrik, and Cohesity, demonstrating his keen eye for identifying future industry leaders. Nazem typically writes first checks ranging from $100,000 to $750,000, often participating in seed and Series A rounds. He has made over 50 investments, according to Crunchbase, underscoring his active role in the startup community.