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Key people at Hero City at Draper University.
Hero City at Draper University operates as a premier coworking community in San Mateo, California, designed to support world-changing entrepreneurs by providing access to a global venture capital network and exclusive events. The facility offers a vibrant environment with resources for building, launching, and scaling startups, including regular speaker sessions from industry leaders, community lunches, and direct feedback opportunities. Conceived by venture capitalist Tim Draper, the community leverages his extensive network, including his role as founder of Draper University and co-founder of the prominent firm Draper Fisher Jurvetson. Draper Fisher Jurvetson holds a significant investment track record, having provided early funding to companies such as Hotmail, Skype, Baidu, and Tesla, demonstrating its impact on the tech landscape. This connection allows Hero City members to tap into a rich entrepreneurial ecosystem for mentorship and potential funding. While specific operational metrics are not publicly disclosed, the organization was founded by Tim Draper.
Key people at Hero City at Draper University.
Hero City is a premier coworking community and business incubator in San Mateo, California, designed by venture capitalist Tim Draper as part of the Draper University ecosystem.[1][2] It serves world-changing entrepreneurs by providing not just physical space but access to a global VC network, exclusive events from Draper University, weekly community gatherings, and resources to build, launch, and scale startups.[1] Unlike standard coworking spaces, Hero City emphasizes an inspiring ecosystem for aspiring innovators, corporate leaders, and early-stage founders, fostering connections and expert feedback to accelerate growth.[1][2]
Hero City emerged from Tim Draper's vision to create a supportive hub for entrepreneurship within Draper University of Heroes, a for-profit school he founded in 2012 in San Mateo after purchasing the historic Hotel Benjamin Franklin building in 2011.[1][2] Draper, founding partner of Draper Fisher Jurvetson (which backed companies like Tesla and Skype) and known as "The Riskmaster," established the university to train young entrepreneurs aged 18-28 through intensive 5-7 week programs, later expanding to include a 16-week semester with Arizona State University credits.[1][2] Hero City was developed as the university's on-campus coworking incubator, evolving alongside programs like VCx for investment training and executive innovation courses, with the first university session hosting 40 students and growing to 500 alumni.[1][2]
Hero City rides the trend of experiential entrepreneurship education and hybrid incubator models in Silicon Valley, where physical spaces blend community, mentorship, and VC access to counter remote-work isolation and funding challenges.[1][2] Its timing leverages San Mateo's proximity to tech hubs, amplifying Draper's global influence in spreading entrepreneurship through funds and training worldwide.[1] Market forces like rising demand for hands-on startup acceleration—evident in programs featured on *Startup U*—favor Hero City, as it influences the ecosystem by producing alumni who launch ventures and attracting corporate innovators for skill-building.[1][2]
Hero City is poised to expand its role as a launchpad amid AI-driven and global startup booms, potentially scaling online courses and international outposts while deepening VC integrations.[1][2] Trends like talent mobility and experiential learning will shape its growth, evolving its influence from local incubator to a cornerstone of Draper's worldwide hero-training network. This positions it to nurture the next wave of disruptors, echoing its founding promise of building more world-changers.[1]
