Organization · Venture Capital
Kleiner Perkins
Kleiner Perkins is a venture capital firm based in Menlo Park, California, founded in the 1970s. It partners with entrepreneurs across various sectors, providing capital and resources from inception to IPO.
Overview
What Kleiner Perkins does
What Kleiner Perkins is
Kleiner Perkins is a venture capital firm based in Menlo Park, California, founded in the 1970s. It partners with entrepreneurs across various sectors, providing capital and resources from inception to IPO.
How it participates in the startup ecosystem
The current public profile supports funder and publisher capabilities. Each capability below is shown separately so organization identity and role-specific information do not get conflated.
Operational profile
Organization status and context
Organization status describes the entity itself. Funding and program availability appear within the relevant capability profile.
- Operational status
- Active
- Organization type
- Venture Capital
- Founded
- Founded in 1972
- Approximate age
- About 54 years
- Structured capabilities
- Funder · Publisher
- Last reviewed
- March 16, 2026
Official channels
Find Kleiner Perkins elsewhere
Open the official website or a supported primary organization account.
Capability profile
Kleiner Perkins as a funder
Investment thesis
Kleiner Perkins backs exceptional founders building transformative companies in AI, cybersecurity, fintech, enterprise software, and healthcare, primarily at seed through Series B with a $2B+ Rise of AI thesis.
Focus narrative
Kleiner Perkins takes a people-first approach centered on founder quality and team excellence. The current investment thesis is built around the "$2B+ Rise of AI" theme, targeting companies leveraging artificial intelligence to transform industries. The firm also embraces a "new efficiency frontier" philosophy, backing founders who can build capital-efficient companies with smaller teams and lower burn. Primary sectors include AI/ML infrastructure, cybersecurity, fintech, enterprise software, developer tools, healthcare technology, and consumer internet. The firm primarily targets Series A (average $17-18M rounds) and seed (average $4-5M rounds), with growth capability through the Select fund.
Value beyond capital
Kleiner Perkins provides hands-on operational support through experienced partners, with the team sitting on 17 active company boards. The restructured culture under Mamoon Hamid removed rigid subgroup restrictions, giving partners access to any fund vehicle for maximum flexibility. The firm emphasizes helping founders build capital-efficient companies and provides strategic guidance, hiring support, and network access spanning five decades of portfolio relationships.
Terms and economics
- Typical check
- $2,000,000–$50,000,000
- Sweet spot
- $17,000,000
Focus and fit
- Stages
- Seed · Series A · Series B · Growth Equity
- Regions
- United States
Availability
- Currently deploying
- Yes
Portfolio and track record
- Recorded portfolio count
- 228
- Investments in the last 12 months
- 47
- Last recorded investment
- February 10, 2026
Portfolio context
Kleiner Perkins' portfolio is a who's who of technology history. Iconic exits include Amazon, Google, Genentech, Netscape, Sun Microsystems, Compaq, Electronic Arts, and Intuit. The firm has 48 unicorns in its portfolio. Recent highlights include Figma (NYSE IPO July 2025, $13.5B), Brex (acquired by Capital One Jan 2026), and active investments in AI leaders like Glean and Windsurf. The firm co-led the Huntress cybersecurity Series D with Meritech and Sapphire in 2024. Other recent investments include Garner (healthcare tech), LMArena, and Waymo.
Capability profile
Kleiner Perkins as a publisher
Editorial focus
Kleiner Perkins is a venture capital firm that partners with entrepreneurs to build companies across various industries, with a strong emphasis on technology and innovation. The firm invests in a diverse range of sectors including healthcare, fintech, consumer products, and hardtech, supporting companies from inception to IPO.
Audience value
Kleiner Perkins offers a collaborative approach to venture capital, providing not only funding but also mentorship and access to a network of industry leaders, which is crucial for entrepreneurs looking to scale their businesses.
Format and cadence
- Content formats
- research-report, podcast, and blog
- Primary platform
- Kleiner Perkins
Availability
- Guest pitch state
- Not currently accepting
Audience and focus
- Audience
- Founders · Investors
- Regions
- North America
Flagship work and coverage
Flagship properties
Kleiner Perkins publishes the Internet Trends Report, a comprehensive annual analysis of internet growth and trends. They also produce Grit, a podcast that explores the intricacies of building world-class organizations, and Perspectives, a series of articles providing insights on technology and entrepreneurship.
Common questions
What to know about Kleiner Perkins
Upseed classifies Kleiner Perkins under the Venture Capital organization type. Its current public profile includes funder and publisher capabilities.
Source and update disclosure
Know what this page is based on
Source basis
Public organization and program material, official websites, and structured Upseed records.
Last reviewed
March 16, 2026
Known limits
Capability profiles appear only when a structured public profile also contains decision-useful role evidence. Terms and availability can change.
Upseed is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the organization described on this page.