JEREMY STOPPELMAN

Jeremy Stoppelman is widely recognized as the visionary co-founder and CEO of Yelp.com, a dominant force in connecting consumers with local businesses through reviews and ratings. Since co-founding Yelp in 2004, Stoppelman has steered the company through its growth from a nascent startup to a publicly traded enterprise, fundamentally changing how people discover and interact with local services. His leadership at Yelp has cemented his reputation as a seasoned entrepreneur with a deep understanding of consumer behavior and marketplace dynamics.

Beyond his executive role at Yelp, Stoppelman is a highly influential figure in the venture capital and angel investing landscape. He actively deploys capital into promising early-stage technology companies, often leveraging his personal network and insights gained from his own entrepreneurial journey. His investment focus areas typically include consumer internet, online marketplaces, software-as-a-service (SaaS), and fintech solutions. Stoppelman seeks out innovative startups that aim to disrupt existing industries or create entirely new categories, often with a strong emphasis on user experience and scalable business models.

Stoppelman's career background provides a robust foundation for his investment acumen. A computer science graduate from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, he began his professional journey at PayPal, where he was part of the early team that included other future tech luminaries like Max Levchin and Peter Thiel. This experience at PayPal, often referred to as the "PayPal Mafia," exposed him to the intricacies of building and scaling a successful internet company during the dot-com era. After PayPal's acquisition by eBay, Stoppelman briefly worked at MRL Ventures, an incubator founded by Max Levchin, where the concept for Yelp was born. This unique blend of engineering expertise, operational leadership, and early exposure to Silicon Valley's most successful startups has shaped his investment philosophy.

While Stoppelman often invests discreetly, his involvement in several high-profile companies is well-documented. He was an early investor and advisor in companies that have since become household names, including Pinterest, Airbnb, and Uber. These investments underscore his ability to identify disruptive business models and visionary founders at their earliest stages. His strategic guidance and capital have played a role in the growth of numerous startups, solidifying his status as a respected and sought-after investor in the tech ecosystem. Stoppelman continues to be a pivotal force, both at the helm of Yelp and as a discerning investor shaping the next generation of technology companies.