Josh Kopelman

Josh Kopelman sold Half.com to eBay for $350 million in 2000 and used that experience to found First Round Capital in 2004. First Round pioneered an institutionalized approach to seed investing — providing not just capital but structured support including talent networks, founder communities, and operational resources. First Round was an early investor in Uber and has invested in hundreds of companies. Kopelman is known for creating First Round Review, a content platform publishing practitioner advice for startup founders that became widely read in the startup community. First Round's model of combining financial investment with community infrastructure — connecting portfolio founders with each other and with operational experts in areas like recruiting, marketing, and product development — influenced the broader venture capital industry's move toward value-added investing as differentiation from pure capital providers.