Jim Breyer Biography
Jim Breyer is an American venture capitalist, founder, and CEO Breyer Capital, an investment and venture philanthropy firm, and a partner at Accel Partners, a venture capital firm.
He has invested in over 40 companies that have gone public or completed a merger, with some of these investments, including Facebook, earning over 100 times cost and many others over 25 times cost.
On the Forbes 2016 list of the world’s billionaires, he was ranked number 722 with a net worth of US$2.4 billion.
Jim Breyer Age
He was born James W. Breyer on July 1961, in New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
Jim Breyer Wife(s)
Breyer is married to shipping executive and philanthropist Angela Chao, the youngest sister of Elaine Chao and the widow of Bruce Wasserstein. He was previously married to his college sweetheart and impressionist artist Susan Zaroff with whom he had three children, Emily, Daniel, and Theodore (Ted). They divorced in 2004.
Jim Breyer Net Worth
He has a net worth of $3.1 billion USD.
Jim Breyer Vechain
He announced that Breyer Capital had agreed to support VeChain as an investor.
Sunny Lu has a strong vision to set a new industry standard for blockchain projects. I agree with VeChain’s hypothesis that enterprises will accelerate the adoption and development of blockchain technology.
I am most interested in VeChain’s top-percentile crypto team. Additionally, I’ve found VeChain’s enterprise partnerships and deep relationships with PwC and DNV GL to be compelling.
I’m here to learn with and support VeChain as they press on towards their main net release and continue to develop valuable partnerships. I look forward to working with a coalition of top-tier individuals within the VeChain ecosystem and am excited to have VeChain as part of Breyer Capital’s ecosystem.
Jim Breyer | Breyer Capital
Jim is the Founder and CEO of Breyer Capital, a premier venture capital firm based in Menlo Park, CA. Jim has also been an early investor in over 40 technology companies that have completed highly successful public offerings or mergers.
Jim is also the Co-Chairman of IDG Capital based in Beijing, with offices in Beijing, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. IDG Capital was the first firm to bring venture capital into China, and Jim has been passionate and has a long track record of successfully investing in China and partnering with leading Chinese entrepreneurs.
Jim Breyer Blackstone
In July 2016 Blackstone (NYSE: BX) announced that Jim Breyer had joined its board of directors. Commenting on the appointment, Stephen A. Schwarzman, Blackstone’s Chairman, and CEO said, “Jim’s deep knowledge of emerging technologies, large businesses, and academic research universities will add significant expertise to our team at Blackstone to ensure that we continue to innovate as we have for over thirty years. As the world changes in unexpected and dynamic ways, we are thrilled to welcome Jim and the immense insight that he will bring to the firm.
Tony James, President of Blackstone, added, “Jim’s stellar record as an investor and knack for identifying the winners of tomorrow make him a superb fit for our board of directors. I look forward to working closely with him in the years ahead to move the firm forward in new ways.”
Jim Breyer Career
Breyer Capital and Accel Partners
In 1987 he accepted a job with the venture capital firm Accel Partners in San Francisco and was mentored by founders Arthur Patterson and Jim Swartz. In 1990, he was named a partner and in 1995, he became a managing partner. Accel Partners was Facebook’s biggest shareholder after Mark Zuckerberg, owning an 11% stake at the time of the company’s IPO.
Breyer led Accel Partners’ $12.7 million deposit at a $98 million valuation in the then ten-employee startup Facebook in 2005. In 2000, he also established Accel-KKR, a joint venture between Accel Partners and the private equity firm KKR. Jim also led the 2004 management buyout of BBN Technologies from Verizon.
He has led several Series A investments, including Etsy, Clinkle and Circle Internet Financial. He has also led investments in Legendary Pictures and Spotify. Forbes said of Breyer, “He glides easily within and between circles: Silicon Valley, China, Europe, and Hollywood.” Jim founded Breyer Capital in 2006, a global equity investor focused on providing capital to help catalyze high impact social and for-profit entrepreneurs.
The fund focuses on emerging markets such as China, Brazil, and India. Breyer continues to manage the fund as CEO. Breyer Capital has participated in a number of investments including Harvard’s Experiment Fund, Brightcove, Marvel Entertainment, and Legendary Pictures.
In 2014 Breyer joined the Wickr board of directors, pledging $30 million in funding. Wickr is a messaging app that seeks to provide encrypted and self-destructing messages for users which pledges a strict commitment to user privacy.
Breyer also joined the board of the alternative investment firm The Blackstone Group in July 2016, the largest such firm in the world according to a 2013 New York Times piece.
Jim Breyer Politics
In April 2013, a lobbying group called FWD.us (aimed at lobbying for immigration reform and improvements to education) was launched, with Jim Breyer listed as one of the founders.
Jim Breyer Awards and achievements
In August 2010, Fortune named Breyer one of the 10 smartest people in technology, and the smartest investor in technology. For three consecutive years, from 2011 to 2013, Forbes has ranked Jim Breyer number one on the Forbes Midas List of Tech’s Top Investors. Breyer received the Silicon Valley Forum’s Visionary Award in 2012. He was also named to the Vanity Fair New Establishment Hall of Fame in 2012. In 2014, Breyer was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by Venture Capital-Journal.
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