
Sequoia Capital
Description
Sequoia Capital stands as one of the most venerable and influential venture capital firms globally, with a legacy spanning over five decades. Founded in 1972 by Don Valentine, the firm established its roots in Silicon Valley, quickly becoming synonymous with backing groundbreaking technology companies from their earliest stages. Sequoia's investment philosophy is deeply rooted in partnering with ambitious founders to build enduring companies, often providing not just capital but also strategic guidance, operational expertise, and access to an unparalleled network.
The firm's investment scope is broad, encompassing various sectors including enterprise software, fintech, healthcare, consumer internet, artificial intelligence, and frontier technologies. While historically renowned for its early-stage investments, Sequoia has evolved into a multi-stage investor, capable of deploying capital from pre-seed through growth equity rounds. This flexibility allows them to support companies throughout their entire lifecycle, adapting to the varying capital needs of their portfolio.
Sequoia's track record is unparalleled, featuring an impressive roster of companies that have become household names and industry titans. Early investments in companies like Apple, Google, PayPal, NVIDIA, Cisco, LinkedIn, Zoom, and WhatsApp underscore their prescient ability to identify and nurture disruptive innovation. These successes have not only generated extraordinary returns for their limited partners but have also profoundly shaped the global technology landscape. In 2022, Sequoia announced a significant structural shift for its US and European operations, consolidating its traditional venture funds into a single, permanent vehicle known as The Sequoia Capital Fund, which initially held over $15 billion in capital, reflecting its immense capacity and long-term vision.
Sequoia Capital maintains a highly selective investment approach, focusing on a concentrated portfolio where they can provide substantial value. Their global presence, with distinct teams and funds operating across the US/Europe, India/Southeast Asia, and China, further solidifies their reach and ability to identify promising ventures worldwide. The firm is known for its deep conviction in founders and its willingness to make significant initial commitments to companies it believes can achieve market leadership.
Investor Profile
Sequoia Capital has backed more than 1,972 startups, with 119 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 712 rounds, about 36% of its total and boasts 394 exits across its portfolio.
Investment Focus Highlights
- Concentrates on Series A, Series B, Series C rounds (top funding stages).
- Majority of deals are located in United States, China, India.
- Strong thematic focus on Software, Information Technology, Enterprise Software.
- Led 46 rounds in the past year.
- Typical check size: $1M – $50M.
Stage Focus
- Series A (22%)
- Series B (20%)
- Series C (14%)
- Seed (12%)
- Series Unknown (11%)
- Series D (9%)
- Series E (4%)
- Series F (2%)
- Pre Seed (2%)
- Private Equity (1%)
Country Focus
- United States (75%)
- China (7%)
- India (5%)
- United Kingdom (2%)
- Singapore (1%)
- Germany (1%)
- France (1%)
- Israel (1%)
- Canada (1%)
- Brazil (1%)
Industry Focus
- Software
- Information Technology
- Enterprise Software
- Artificial Intelligence (Ai)
- Saas
- Internet
- E-commerce
- Mobile
- Analytics
- Fintech
Frequently Asked Questions
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