Draper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ) Wednesday announced the launch of its new fund, the Draper Fisher Jurvetson Fund X at about $350 million targeting global investments in various sectors. DFJ is an American company that supports entrepreneurs across the world through investment funding. The company currently has a global network that covers four continents with 17 Network Partner Funds and about $7 billion under its management. DFJ Fund X will fund investments in cleantech, information technology, mobile and the life sciences sector globally. Managing director and founder of DFJ, Mr. Tim Draper said he was delighted that DFJ’s investors are keen to fund entrepreneurs across the world that are making some considerable positive changes.
As such, the company’s global network, DFJ Global Network, offers a rare plus point for DFJ as it enables it get a first hand account of the best deal flows and entrepreneurs globally whether individuals or companies, said Draper. He further noted that, with the spread of advanced technologies beyond Silicon Valley, the continued impressive entrepreneurship around the world and the emerging global markets represent an opportunity for unparalleled growth potential. Draper added that whereas the global economic times are challenging, DFJ is still hopeful of investing its latest fund into the planned projects and believes it is about time it forayed into venture capital.
The American company has previously been successful through the funding of entrepreneurs with innovative technologies and is as well one of the foremost companies in terms of global investments in world emerging markets. Its investments in cleantech begun in 2001 and the company has build a repute in the sector, funding companies such as Tesla Motors, HT Blade, EnerNOC, Silver Spring Networks, Synthetic Genomics amongst others. Additionally, DFJ boasts of being the first Silicon Valley venture capital company with a broad global investment plan encompassing investments in Asia and Europe. Some of its global successes are companies such as Skype that was later acquired by eBay, Baidu, Focus Media amongst other projects.
DFJ funds extraordinary businesses and entrepreneurs globally and spearheads its international practice through DFJ Global Network of Partner Funds. Up to date, the company estimates that it has undertaken investments in over 600 companies globally in its 25 year history since inception. It carries out its investments in a diversified field of sectors and market conditions but the bias has been on emerging technologies, from the internet and life sciences to clean energy and nanotechnology.
