Brad Feld

Brad Feld is an entrepreneur, author, blogger, and venture capitalist known for his significant contributions to the venture capital and startup ecosystem. Feld co-founded Foundry Group in Boulder, Colorado, with partners Seth Levine, Ryan McIntyre, and Jason Mendelson. He began investing in technology startups as an angel investor before transitioning to institutional investing, with early investments in companies such as Harmonix, Zynga, MakerBot, and Fitbit. Feld's entrepreneurial journey started at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he co-founded Feld Technologies, a custom software development company serving small and medium-sized businesses. He holds both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Management Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Feld has played a key role in building venture capital firms, including Intensity Ventures and Mobius Venture Capital, before establishing Foundry Group. He also co-founded Techstars with David Cohen, helping to create a globally recognized startup accelerator and early-stage venture fund. Foundry Group has raised multiple funds targeting early-stage, later-stage, and growth-stage technology investments. Feld has openly discussed his experience with Interliant, a company that failed after the dot-com bubble, using it as an example of entrepreneurial failure and resilience.

As an author, Feld has written nine books focused on entrepreneurship and venture capital. His works include "Venture Deals: Be Smarter Than Your Lawyer and Venture Capitalist," co-authored with Jason Mendelson, as well as "Startup Communities," "#GiveFirst," and "The Entrepreneur's Weekly Nietzsche: A Book for Disruptors." Feld's "Give First" philosophy emphasizes mentorship and supporting others in the startup community. He also offers a free online "Venture Deals" course, which has enrolled thousands of participants.

Feld is recognized for his advocacy on mental health in the startup world. He has written and spoken publicly about his experiences with anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, encouraging open dialogue about mental health challenges among entrepreneurs. Feld serves on the boards of nonprofits including the National Center for Women & Information Technology, Startup Colorado, the Global EIR Program, and UP Global, supporting technology entrepreneurship and diversity in the industry.