Business

Investor Peter Thiel’s Fund Buys Into Marijuana Business

Published

11 years ago

January 8, 2015

In this March 8, 2012 file photo, Peter Thiel speaks in San Francisco. This presidential election is on track to cost nearly $2 billion, thanks to mountains of money flowing to both campaigns and independent, super political committees working on their behalf. Wealthy Americans are increasingly picking up the tab this year, at times giving millions of dollars to super PACs. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)

In this March 8, 2012 file photo, Peter Thiel, a founder of Founders Fund, speaks in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)

JONATHAN FAHEY, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — The pros are getting into pot.

Founders Fund, the $2 billion San Francisco venture capital firm run by Silicon Valley stars including Peter Thiel, co-founder and former CEO of Paypal, is investing in Privateer Holdings, a marijuana company that owns several pot-related brands.

The companies declined to disclose the size of the investment Thursday, but described it as a “multi-million dollar” participation in a $75 million fundraising effort by Privateer. The deal had been rumored last year.

Privateer, based in Seattle, owns the Canadian medical marijuana producer Tilray and the pot information service Leafly. It is also launching a brand of marijuana and products with the family of Bob Marley called Marley Natural.

Founders Fund partner Geoff Lewis, who is leading the firm’s investment in Privateer, said in an interview that he believes the broader legalization of marijuana is inevitable.

“Public sentiment is there, and it crosses political lines,” Lewis said.

There are 23 states that allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes and Colorado has legalized its recreational use.

There has been some pushback, however, despite growing public support. The states of Nebraska and Oklahoma have filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the legalization of marijuana in Colorado, saying that they are being overrun with marijuana from across their borders.

And Founders Fund does not expect a quick turnaround on its investment in Privateer, Lewis said. Founders is investing in Privateer because it believes Privateer can eventually establish mainstream brands that will be recognized and trusted as marijuana becomes legal and socially acceptable, he said.

Privateer was founded in 2010 and has previously landed $22 million in funding.

Before the announcement Thursday, Privateer’s funding came mostly through wealthy individuals and investment offices that steer private family funds.

Privateer CEO Brendan Kennedy thinks the Founders investment will lead to more professional investment into marijuana-related businesses and help advance the push toward legalization.

“One of the important milestones for this business is having access to capital, and significant capital,” he said. “There will be a lot of people who wake up (now) and realize they need to look at this industry just as they have looked at other emerging industries around the world.”

Founders Fund was an early investor in Facebook and has current investments in SpaceX, Spotify and Airbnb.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

Tobacco Companies Criticize Federal Judge

Don't Miss

United Sued After Flight Attendants Fired for Refusing to be on Plane

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026

Published

4 days ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

2 weeks ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.