Greetings,
One of Silicon Valley’s most influential investors is also one of its least visible, and the people around him seem intent on keeping it that way.
This week, we reported on Zach Frankel’s low-profile network. He has quietly shaped some of tech’s buzziest startups, and the founders closest to him say he is far more than an investor. We spoke with 20 people who know him.
Why it caught my eye:
-
Frankel has played an early role in several of tech’s most talked-about startups, yet few outside the industry’s inner circles know his name.
-
People in his orbit go to surprising lengths to keep his profile low.
-
His connections trace back to an unexpected talent pipeline that keeps feeding the companies he backs.
What stands out is how much influence one investor can wield from the shadows, and what it means when his bets start to overlap.
Read the full story to see how he built it.
Best,
Jessica Lessin
Founder & Editor-in-Chief
Last month, Zach Dell, son of billionaire Michael Dell and cofounder of Base Power, a billion-dollar battery startup, was gabbing with podcaster David Senra when Senra asked him which of his investors have been the most helpful to him.
Dell’s three-year-old company has many prominent backers, including Andreessen Horowitz, Thrive Capital and angel investor Elad Gil. Dell didn’t name any of them.
