Team
At Draper Associates, we don't just invest in companies—we invest in the future. Our team of seasoned investors, operators, and visionaries work closely with bold founders building transformational businesses long before the rest of the world believes in them.
We are industry-agnostic and stage-agnostic, moving early from pre-seed to Series A across all sectors and geographies. But we are particularly drawn to the frontier—the industries being built today that will define the next century. From AI and robotics to crypto and blockchain, from healthcare innovation to aerospace breakthroughs, we back entrepreneurs who don't just want to improve industries—they want to reinvent them entirely.
Our team combines deep technical expertise with extensive operational experience, helping founders navigate the challenges of scaling breakthrough technologies.
We provide more than capital—we offer strategic guidance, network access, and the conviction that comes from four decades of backing category-defining companies.The Draper Associates team is based in Silicon Valley but invests globally, supporting entrepreneurs who are shaping tomorrow's economy. We are here to turn science fiction into reality, one bold investment at a time.
Tim Draper founded Draper Associates, DFJ, Draper University--a global human accelerator, and the globally popular entrepreneur pitch show, "Meet the Drapers." He funded Baidu, Tesla, Skype, SpaceX, Twitch, Hotmail, Focus Media, Robinhood, Athenahealth, Oklo, Coinbase, Cruise, Carta, PTC, and other unicorns, a total of over 50 funded from the seed stage.
He is a supporter and global thought leader for entrepreneurs everywhere, and is a leading spokesperson for Bitcoin, blockchain, ICOs, and cryptocurrencies. He won the Bitcoin US Marshals' auction in 2014.
He created viral marketing, a method that spreads an electronic service from customer to customer exponentially, instrumental to the successes of Hotmail, Skype, and other applications, especially those focused on mail and communications. Social media, crowdsourcing, and growth hacking all grew out of viral marketing.
He is regularly featured on major networks as a proponent of entrepreneurship, innovative governance, free markets, and Bitcoin. Honors include the World Entrepreneurship Forum “Entrepreneur of the World.” Worth Magazine listed him among the one hundred most powerful people in finance. CryptoWeekly ranked him in the top twenty most influential people in crypto. AlwaysOn named him the most networked venture capitalist. He placed seventh on the Forbes Midas List and forty-eighth among the most influential Harvard alumni. Global Guru counts him among the top thirty startup gurus worldwide.
To promote entrepreneurship he created Draper University of Heroes, a residential and online global accelerator in San Mateo, California, that helps extraordinary people accomplish their life missions. The school has trained more than six thousand founders from 104 countries who have founded more than 2000 companies, including: 1063 Games, Lemon, NVision and crypto leader QTUM.
He founded BizWorld, a nonprofit that teaches children how business and entrepreneurship work. He served on the California State Board of Education and led a movement for local choice in schools, culminating in a statewide initiative for school vouchers. He also backed initiatives to create competitive governance with Six Californias and later Three Californias.
Tim Draper earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Stanford University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He holds honorary doctorates from The International University and Trinity College Dublin.
He is a judge on the globally popular TV show "Meet the Drapers" where he has discovered hundreds of successful startups including the unicorn Boxabl, and he is the author of “How to Be the Startup Hero.
Andy is a partner at Draper Associates, founding partner at Draper Dragon, and chair of the executive committee for Draper University.
Over 20 years of venture investing across ten fund vintages at Draper, he’s seeded over 15 technology unicorn companies in the software/AI, healthcare/biotech, crypto/fintech, and deep-tech spaces.
Andy first worked in R&D for semiconductor technologies at MIT, where he earned a US patent, before moving into commercial operations at Intel during its generations of chip design dominance. Following this, he moved into investment banking (Credit Suisse), then corporate venture (Infineon Technologies and ABB) before co-founding Draper Dragon with Tim Draper in 2006. Subsequently, he partnered with Tim to launch Draper Associates’ first outside fund in 2014. Finally, he manages DA’s limited partner co-investment program, as well as directs VCx, an invite-only alliance of family offices that promotes generational relationship-building, education, and investing.
Andy holds a BS in Electrical and Computer Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin, an MS in Electrical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and an MBA from The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. Andy was honored as a distinguished young alumnus by the Texas Governor Greg Abbott on behalf of The University of Texas at Austin.
Tyrone Lee is a venture partner at Draper Associates focused on deep tech investing, including dual-use and space technologies.
His investments have spanned hypersonic engines to 3D-printed rocket fuel to commercial space stations to high-powered lasers that typically start from a TRL of 4-6.
With over two decades of investing, from investment banking to hedge fund and now to venture capital, he is well versed in evaluating both technologies and founders against a cyclical backdrop. With a global network, he travels frequently from Taiwan to the Bay Area.
James is a Principal on the investment team at Draper Associates, splitting his time between new investments and portfolio company support. A generalist investor, his particular areas of interest include consumer tech, legal AI, health and wellness, and sports. Prior to DA, James was a corporate attorney with Latham & Watkins in Silicon Valley, where he specialized in emerging company matters and venture financing transactions.
James has a bachelor’s degree in business-economics and psychology from the University of California Santa Barbara, a J.D. from Duke University School of Law and an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School.
Maxime Bucaille is a Principal at Draper Associates, heading off the New York office, where he leads the firm’s blockchain and cryptocurrency investments while remaining a broad-minded generalist investor. His track record spans sectors, with lead roles in everything from health to robotics financings alongside his core work in Web3. At Draper, Maxime also founded the BitcoinFi Accelerator in 2024 to back founders building Bitcoin focused crypto companies.
He began his career as a trader at BNP Paribas, moved full-time into blockchain in 2018, and drove business development at Fluidity - acquired by Consensys - helping shape the early days of decentralized finance. He later launched Atari’s blockchain division in 2020, bringing gaming brands on-chain and expanding tokenized entertainment models. Maxime holds a bachelor’s degree from McGill University and an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School.
Michelle Kwok is an Investor at Draper Associates, co-heading the firm’s New York office, leading its healthcare and biotech investments, and overseeing social, brand, and press. A generalist investor, as we all are, she is particularly interested in regenerative medicine, innovations that extend human healthy lifespan, and eliminating neurodegenerative diseases.
She is also the co-founder of BlueBox, an invite-only network connecting top MBA talent with VCs and startup founders for high-impact hiring and trusted alumni-driven collaboration.
Before Draper, Michelle co-founded FLIK, a platform connecting female leaders and learners for meaningful career experiences. Following FLIK’s acquisition by Rumor Avenue in October 2021, she remained as a Partner to support its 15,000+ global community. She then joined On Deck, where she led operations in building the Longevity Biotech arm, and managed special projects alongside senior leadership.
Michelle holds an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School and a Bachelor's in Medical Sciences from Western University in Canada. While studying medical sciences, she worked as a research assistant at Imperial College London, UBC, and BC Children’s Hospital, contributing to infectious disease, gastroenterology, and neuroimaging labs. Recognitions include BC Business 30 Under 30, YWCA Young Woman of Distinction, and Conversationalist Gen Z Honoree, with features in Forbes, BetaKit, The Hustle, and Women of Influence.
Megan is on the investment team at Draper Associates, and collaborates across investor relations and other strategic initiatives. She is fascinated by people - both as individuals and as part of larger societal systems. Megan graduated from Stanford University with a Bachelor's degree in Human Development (shoutout HumBio), and in a previous chapter of her life was a science fair and robotics kid.
Vicky Kuang is an investor at Draper Associates, where she focuses on early-stage ventures and supports portfolio strategy and diligence. Her interests lie in fintech, Web2-to-Web3 adoption, and disruptive solutions to today’s global challenges. She is the co-founder of CUBE Summit, a Collaborative University Blockchain Ecosystem that brings together students and alumni from institutions including Cambridge, Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, MIT Sloan, NYU, Oxford, Princeton, Stanford, UC Berkeley, UPenn, and Yale to drive innovation and adoption in the Web3 space. At Yale, she served as a Principal Investigator (P.I.) in Professor Leandros Tassiulas’ lab, managing research on decentralized credit scoring to address the issue of overcollateralization in blockchain finance. The project received grants from the Roberts Innovation Fund at Yale Ventures in recognition of its impact and potential. In addition, Vicky serves as co-chair of the Yale Blockchain Club and its annual Blockchain Conference. Prior to her current role, she was Assistant Controller at Draper, managing fund financials and investment valuation, and began her career at Ernst & Young, where she specialized in strategic tax structuring for financial services clients. Vicky holds a B.S. in Accounting from Santa Clara University and an M.B.A. from the Yale School of Management.
Matt Harris is on the investment team at Draper Associates. Prior to joining Draper Associates Matt was a Vice President at The Blackstone Group where he focused on providing growth financing to energy companies all over the world. Matt has a bachelor’s degree in finance from Texas A&M University and is a term member on the Council of Foreign Relations. He is based in Austin, Texas where he lives with his wife and two daughters.
Lord Sarfraz is a Venture Partner at Draper Associates. He is a Member of the House of Lords, the upper House of United Kingdom Parliament. He sits on the Joint Committee for National Security Strategy (JCNSS) and the AI in Weapon Systems Committee. He is the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Singapore.
Outside Parliament, Lord Sarfraz is an Advisor to C3 AI (NYSE: AI), an Advisor to DigitalOcean (NYSE: DOCN) and a Commissioner of PT VKTR Teknologi Mobilitas (IDX: VKTR). He is founder NetZeroAg, an agtech business.
Earlier in his career he was an Analyst in the Venture Capital Team at 3i Group (LON: III), and a Managing Director at private equity firm The Electrum Group.
He sits on several not-for-profit and university advisory boards, including at Texas A&M, Boston University Pardee School, Panthera, the Alternative Proteins Association, and is Patron of The Lord Sarfraz Foundation.
Lord Sarfraz is a graduate of the Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS), and holds a BS from Boston University and an MSc in Information Systems from the London School of Economics.
Zachary Cefaratti is a Venture Partner at Draper Associates. He is also the founder of Dalma Capital and AIM Summit. He transformed Dalma Capital's position in investment banking as a leading “bulge boutique” investment bank, skillfully executing M&As up to ~$500m and managing financings around ~$2bn. He also built the firms asset management platform and led the acquisition of its outsourced CIO business. Specializing in cross-border transactions, Zachary connects emerging and developed markets as well as emerging and institutionalized sectors. His expertise covers sectors like Education, EdTech, AI, Datacenter, Blockchain, FinTech, and more. He's proficient in various financial structures, with global deal-making experience spanning South-east Asia, South Asia, GCC, North America and Latin America. He has developed a global network and has executed deals and investments across 6 continents.
With over 15 years in financial services, Zachary's journey began trading bonds as a child actor and evolved through academic pursuits at institutions like LSE and UPenn. As an early financial enthusiast, his origins trace back to trading assets earned as a child actor. He is a member of Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and the Milken Young Leaders Circle (YLC).
Asra is the CEO of DraperU and a Partner at DraperU Ventures, which seeds global founders to build frontier tech companies at the intersection of AI, aerospace, defense, manufacturing, energy, logistics, and critical infrastructure. She has seeded 3 unicorns in the last five years and made over 57 investments. Through her work, Asra collaborates extensively with 60+ governments around the world to bring frontier technologies to local communities and create new jobs with compounding financial rewards for young entrepreneurs.
Originally from Pakistan, Asra is the first woman in her family to attend university, where she found her love for freemarkets, debates and technology investing. She was the first female Product Manager for the largest Muslim social matchmaking website Naseeb.com. Asra also led growth for DFJ and Reid Hoffman funded Rozee.pk, grew the team to 150 employees and millions in revenue. She was later at Bayt.com and built recruitment infrastructure for governments across the Middle East and North Africa. Asra believes that free markets are essential to promoting free speech and innovation. She is a proud champion of companies and academic centers that promote free speech and free thought. She organizes monthly Jeffersonian dinners across America and writes short stories, whenever possible.
Sarika is the Showrunner and Director of Meet the Drapers.
Meet The Drapers is VC pitch show from Silicon Valley featuring generations of the legendary Draper family. Tim Draper, Bill Draper, and Jesse Draper engage in a weekly discussion about entrepreneurship with surprise guest judges. The show unfolds with entrepreneurs pitching the Draper family with a twist- the viewers watching can fund these entrepreneurs for equity and invest alongside VC’s from the Valley! The show aires internationally on SonyEntertainment Television.
Collin West is a Data Advisor at Draper Associates. He is also the Founder and General Partner of Ensemble VC, an early-stage firm that backs teams chasing audacious missions in technology. Collin discovered the power of aligned teams while leading the first human-powered crossing of the Arctic Ocean, a forty-one-day row through shifting ice and open water. That expedition inspired the Simulation Commandments, his operating playbook that prizes trust, curiosity, and endurance. At Ensemble he has invested in Zoom Video, ICON and its 3D-printed homes, Saronic’s autonomous vessels, Chaos next-generation radar, Groww, India’s largest investment platform, and other category-defining companies. Collin welcomes founders who ask big questions and move quickly toward the unknown.
Tatiana Chau is the Chief of Staff to Andy Tang at Draper Associates, where she supports strategic initiatives, operations, and cross-functional collaboration across the organization. She holds a degree in Finance from the University of Texas at Dallas and brings both a strong analytical background and a sharp operational mindset to her work. She also loves cats.
Rose Yip is the Chief Financial Officer of Draper Associates and has been a member of the firm for over 25 years. She leads the financial and compliance functions across a wide portfolio of entities, bringing deep expertise in fund operations. Rose began her career in public accounting, where she honed her skills in both audit and tax. Her experience spans both U.S. and international markets, including advising multinational corporations and ultra-high-net-worth individuals on tax planning, cross-border transactions, and executive compensation during her time at PWC Hong Kong and GROCO in the U.S. She brings a global perspective to Draper’s financial operations, combining technical rigor with a strong understanding of private capital. Rose holds a B.S. in in Accounting from Indiana University Bloomington and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (inactive).
Before joining Draper in 2011, Irene worked at Archon Group in Texas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Goldman Sachs that later became part of the firm’s Realty Management Division and then integrated into other divisions. She holds a B.S. in Business Administration, Accounting, from the University of California, Berkeley, and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (inactive).