Eric Paley
VCPartner Emeritus, Founder Collective
Seed VC turned Massachusetts Economic Development Secretary
Background
Eric Paley co-founded Founder Collective in 2009 alongside David Frankel and Micah Rosenbloom, building it into one of the world's highest-performing seed-stage funds. He previously founded Brontes Technologies, a 3D imaging company acquired by 3M in 2006. His portfolio includes Uber, The Trade Desk, Cruise Automation, Airtable, Formlabs, and WHOOP. He appeared five times on the Forbes Midas List, reaching as high as #9 overall. In September 2025, Governor Healey appointed him Massachusetts Secretary of Economic Development; he now holds the title of Partner Emeritus at Founder Collective.
Investment Thesis
Capital-efficient seed investing in technical founders building defensible businesses; prefers companies that can reach scale without excessive dilution.
Investment Focus
Stages
Typical check: $400K–$2M
Sectors
Based in: USA (Cambridge MA, New York) (North America)