Peter Andreas Thiel is a prominent figure in the world of technology and finance, known for co-founding companies like PayPal, Palantir Technologies, and Founders Fund. His early investment in Facebook cemented his status as a successful venture capitalist. As of June 2023, Thiel's net worth was estimated at $9.7 billion, earning him a spot among the world's wealthiest individuals on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
October 1967: Birth of Peter Thiel
Peter Andreas Thiel was born in Frankfurt am Main, West Germany on October 1967.
1977: Thiel Family Settles in Foster City, California
After a period of living in South Africa and South West Africa (present-day Namibia), the Thiel family established a permanent residence in Foster City, California in 1977.
1985: Thiel Graduates High School as Valedictorian
Peter Thiel graduated as valedictorian of his class at San Mateo High School in 1985. During his high school years, he excelled academically, particularly in mathematics, and drew inspiration from Ayn Rand's writings and the political philosophy of President Ronald Reagan.
1987: Thiel Co-founds The Stanford Review
In 1987, while studying philosophy at Stanford University, Peter Thiel co-founded The Stanford Review, a conservative and libertarian newspaper.
1989: Thiel Graduates from Stanford University
Peter Thiel graduated from Stanford University in 1989. He served as the first editor-in-chief of The Stanford Review, a publication he co-founded, until his graduation. Thiel has continued his involvement with the paper by providing guidance to the staff, making financial contributions, and offering internships and job opportunities to graduating students.
1992: Thiel Earns Juris Doctor Degree from Stanford Law School
Peter Thiel successfully completed his legal studies and earned a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Stanford Law School in 1992. During his time at Stanford, he was influenced by the theories of René Girard, particularly the concept of mimetic theory.
1993: Thiel Works as a Derivatives Trader and Speechwriter
In 1993, Peter Thiel took on the role of a derivatives trader specializing in currency options at Credit Suisse. Concurrently, he also served as a speechwriter for William Bennett, the former United States Secretary of Education.
1995: Publication of The Diversity Myth
In 1995, 'The Diversity Myth: Multiculturalism and the Politics of Intolerance at Stanford,' co-authored by Peter Thiel and David O. Sacks, was published. The book criticized political correctness and multiculturalism in higher education.
1995: Publication of "The Diversity Myth"
Thiel and David O. Sacks published "The Diversity Myth," a book criticizing political correctness in education, in 1995.
1996: Thiel Founds Thiel Capital Management
Peter Thiel founded Thiel Capital Management in 1996, marking the beginning of his venture capital career.
1996: Thiel Returns to California
Peter Thiel returned to California in 1996, capitalizing on the burgeoning dot-com boom to further his entrepreneurial pursuits.
1998: Co-founding of Confinity (Later PayPal)
Peter Thiel co-founded Confinity (later renamed PayPal) with Max Levchin and Luke Nosek in 1998. This venture aimed to address the limitations of online payments by developing software that facilitated secure transactions.
1998: Thiel Ventures into Online Payments with Confinity
In 1998, Peter Thiel, recognizing the potential of online payments, co-founded Confinity with Max Levchin and Luke Nosek. Thiel aimed to create a digital wallet that would encrypt data on devices and increase consumer security and convenience.
1999: Thiel's Vision for PayPal's Impact on Currency
In 1999, Peter Thiel articulated his vision for PayPal, emphasizing its potential to mitigate the erosion of currency value caused by inflation, thereby empowering individuals to have greater control over their finances.
1999: Thiel Invests in PayPal Using Roth IRA
In 1999, Peter Thiel purchased 1.7 million founders shares in the entity that would become PayPal using $1,700 in a Roth IRA, setting the foundation for significant future growth.
1999: PayPal Launches and Secures Funding
PayPal was launched at a press conference in 1999, receiving $3 million in venture funding from Nokia and Deutsche Bank via PayPal on PalmPilots.
1999: Confinity Launches PayPal
In 1999, Confinity, co-founded by Peter Thiel, officially launched PayPal, an online payment platform that revolutionized financial transactions.
2000: PayPal's Strategic Mergers
In 2000, PayPal merged with X.com, Elon Musk's online financial services company, and Pixo, a mobile commerce company, expanding into the wireless phone market and enhancing user experience.
February 2002: PayPal's IPO and Acquisition by eBay
On February 15, 2002, PayPal went public and was later acquired by eBay for $1.5 billion in October, with Thiel's 3.7% stake valued at $55 million.
2002: Sale of PayPal to eBay
Peter Thiel, as the CEO of PayPal, oversaw its sale to eBay in 2002 for $1.5 billion.
May 2003: Founding of Palantir Technologies
In May 2003, Thiel established Palantir Technologies, a big data analysis company inspired by his experience at PayPal.
2003: Founding of Palantir Technologies
Peter Thiel founded Palantir Technologies, a big data analysis company, in 2003 and assumed the role of chairman, a position he has held since its inception.
2003: Thiel's Junior Chess Career
Peter Thiel, once a top junior chess player in the United States and holder of the Life Master title, has not competed since 2003.
2003: Thiel's Successful Currency Prediction
Thiel made a successful prediction in 2003, betting on the weakening of the United States dollar.
August 2004: Thiel Becomes Facebook's First Outside Investor
In August 2004, Peter Thiel made a significant investment of $500,000 in Facebook, becoming the first outside investor to recognize the company's potential. This investment gave him a 10.2% stake in the social media giant.
August 2004: Thiel's Early Investment in Facebook
Thiel made a $500,000 angel investment in Facebook in August 2004, acquiring a 10.2% stake and joining the board.
2004: Authored "The Straussian Moment" Essay
Thiel wrote "The Straussian Moment" in 2004, analyzing the impact of the September 11 attacks.
2004: Thiel's Warning About a Financial Bubble
In 2004, Thiel identified a growing bubble in the financial sector, highlighting General Electric and Walmart as potentially vulnerable.
2004: Thiel's Decision to Convert Note to Equity in Facebook
Despite Facebook narrowly missing its user target in 2004, Thiel allowed his convertible note to be converted to equity.
2005: Establishment of Founders Fund
In 2005, Peter Thiel established Founders Fund with his partners from PayPal, Ken Howery and Luke Nosek.
2005: Founders Fund Established
Thiel co-founded Founders Fund, a venture capital firm based in San Francisco, in 2005.
2005: Clarium Capital's Impressive Return
Thiel's investment firm, Clarium, achieved a 57.1% return in 2005, driven by his accurate prediction of a dollar rally.
September 2006: Thiel Donates to Anti-aging Research
In September 2006, Peter Thiel announced a $3.5 million donation to the Methuselah Mouse Prize foundation to support anti-aging research, citing rapid advances in biological science that could improve health and longevity.
2006: Clarium's Setback
Clarium Capital experienced a 7.8% loss in 2006, marking a setback for the firm.
2006: Thiel Supports Singularity Challenge
In 2006, Peter Thiel provided $100,000 in matching funds to support the Singularity Challenge donation drive for the Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence, promoting the development of friendly artificial intelligence.
December 2007: Endorsement of Ron Paul for President
Thiel endorsed Ron Paul for President in December 2007.
2007: Clarium's Rebound and Petrodollar Strategy
Clarium rebounded in 2007 with a 40.3% return, driven by its petrodollar analysis predicting declining oil supplies.
2007: Gawker Publishes Article Outing Thiel
In 2007, Gawker published an article outing Peter Thiel as gay.
2007: Thiel Continues Support for Singularity Institute
In 2007, Peter Thiel provided half of the $400,000 matching funds for the Singularity Institute's donation drive, showing continued support for advancements in artificial intelligence.
2007: Thiel's Strategic Guidance for Facebook's Funding
Thiel played a key role in advising Mark Zuckerberg on the timing of Facebook's Series D funding round in 2007.
April 2008: Thiel Pledges to Seasteading Institute
On 15 April 2008, Peter Thiel pledged $500,000 to the Seasteading Institute, aiming to establish autonomous ocean communities for social, political, and legal experimentation.
2008: Facebook's Series D Funding and the Financial Crisis
Facebook successfully closed its Series D funding round in 2007, shortly before the onset of the 2008 financial crisis.
2008: Thiel Supports Committee to Protect Journalists
Starting in 2008, Peter Thiel has donated over $1 million to the Committee to Protect Journalists, supporting the right of journalists to report freely without fear of reprisal.
2008: Clarium's Assets Grow Amidst Market Turmoil
By the first quarter of 2008, Clarium's assets under management exceeded $7 billion despite the onset of the financial crisis.
2009: Thiel Speaks at Singularity Summit
At the 2009 Singularity Summit, Peter Thiel expressed his concern that the technological singularity might not arrive soon enough, emphasizing the urgency of advancements in artificial intelligence.
2009: Clarium Impacted by Financial Crisis
Clarium's assets declined in 2009 following the global financial market collapse.
2009: Essay on Freedom and Democracy
In 2009, Thiel wrote an essay expressing his belief that freedom and democracy were incompatible.
2009: Funding of James O'Keefe's "Taxpayers Clearing House" Video
Thiel reportedly helped fund a satirical video about the Wall Street bailout in 2009.
September 2010: Creation of Thiel Fellowship
On 29 September 2010, Peter Thiel launched the Thiel Fellowship, awarding $100,000 annually to 20 people under the age of 23 to drop out of college and pursue their own ventures.
2010: Co-founding of Valar Ventures
Peter Thiel co-founded Valar Ventures in 2010.
2010: Support for Meg Whitman's Gubernatorial Campaign
Thiel supported Meg Whitman's unsuccessful campaign for California governor in 2010.
2010: Support for Conservative Gay Rights Causes and Ann Coulter's Appearance at Homocon
Thiel, who is gay, supported conservative gay rights causes and invited Ann Coulter to Homocon 2010.
November 2011: Creation of Breakout Labs
In November 2011, the Thiel Foundation announced the creation of Breakout Labs, a grant-making program providing up to $350,000 to innovative science-focused start-ups.
2011: Thiel Granted New Zealand Citizenship
Peter Thiel was granted New Zealand citizenship in 2011, a decision that sparked controversy due to his limited time spent in the country and the government's intervention in the process.
2011: Thiel's Investments and Contributions in New Zealand
In 2011, Peter Thiel's application for New Zealand citizenship cited his economic contributions, including founding a venture capital fund, investing $7 million in local companies, and donating $1 million to the Christchurch earthquake appeal fund.
2011: Thiel at Oslo Freedom Forum
In 2011, Peter Thiel was a featured speaker at the Oslo Freedom Forum, organized by the Human Rights Foundation. The Thiel Foundation was one of the event's main sponsors.
2011: Thiel Receives Permanent Residency in New Zealand
In 2011, Peter Thiel received permanent residency in New Zealand, granted under an 'exceptional circumstances' clause despite him spending only 12 days in the country prior to his application.
2011: Thiel Donates to Christchurch Earthquake Appeal
In 2011, Peter Thiel made a NZ$1 million donation to an appeal fund for the casualties of the Christchurch earthquake.
2011: Thiel's Heterodox Christianity
In 2011, Peter Thiel described his religious beliefs as 'somewhat heterodox,' identifying as a Christian while not feeling compelled to convince others of his faith. He has participated in Veritas Forum events discussing religion, politics, and technology.
2011: Clarium Faces Investor Exodus
By 2011, after missing out on the economic recovery, Clarium experienced a significant withdrawal of funds, reducing its assets to $350 million.
2011: Dedication of Ann Coulter's Book
Ann Coulter dedicated her 2011 book, "Demonic: How the Liberal Mob Is Endangering America," to Thiel.
2011: Thiel Supports and Resigns from Seasteading Institute
In 2011, Peter Thiel donated $1.25 million to the Seasteading Institute but resigned from its board the same year, citing engineering challenges.
January 2012: Support for Endorse Liberty Super PAC
Thiel, along with others, supported the Endorse Liberty Super PAC, which promoted Ron Paul's candidacy, in January 2012.
April 2012: Breakout Labs' First Grantees
In April 2012, Breakout Labs announced its first set of grantees, providing a total of $4.5 million in grants to 12 startups, including the tissue imaging platform 3Scan.
May 2012: Facebook's IPO and Thiel's Share Sale
Facebook went public in May 2012 with a market cap of nearly $100 billion, and Thiel sold 16.8 million shares for $638 million.
June 2012: Launch of Mithril Capital Management
Peter Thiel launched Mithril Capital Management in June 2012, targeting companies ready to scale up.
July 2012: Donation to Club for Growth
Thiel made a significant donation to the Club for Growth, a fiscally conservative organization, in July 2012.
August 2012: Thiel Sells Majority Stake in Facebook
Following the end of the early investor lock-up period in August 2012, Thiel sold most of his remaining Facebook shares for approximately $395.8 million.
2012: Donation to Minnesotans United for All Families
Thiel donated to Minnesotans United for All Families to oppose a proposed ban on same-sex marriage in Minnesota in 2012.
2012: Thiel Sells Majority Stake in Facebook, Remains on Board
Peter Thiel made a substantial profit by selling the majority of his Facebook shares for over $1 billion in 2012. Despite selling most of his shares, he retained his position on the company's board of directors.
2012: Thiel Teaches CS 183: Startup at Stanford
In 2012, Peter Thiel taught the class CS 183: Startup at Stanford University. The course notes were later turned into a book titled 'Zero to One.'
2013: Thiel Foundation Donates Over $1 Million to Singularity Institute
By 2013, the Thiel Foundation had donated over $1 million to the Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence, demonstrating Thiel's commitment to the development of friendly AI.
September 2014: Release of Zero to One
In September 2014, Peter Thiel, along with Blake Masters, released 'Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future,' based on Thiel's Stanford course.
2014: Thiel on Anti-aging and Cryonics
At the Venture Alpha West 2014 conference, Peter Thiel expressed his desire to make progress in anti-aging research. He also revealed that he is registered to be cryonically preserved, hoping future medical technology can revive him after legal death.
2014: Thiel Backs DeepMind
In 2014, Peter Thiel supported DeepMind, a UK start-up that was acquired by Google for £400 million, marking a significant investment in artificial intelligence.
March 2015: Joined Y Combinator
Thiel became a part-time partner at Y Combinator in March 2015.
December 2015: Thiel Backs OpenAI
In December 2015, it was announced that Peter Thiel was one of the financial backers of OpenAI, a nonprofit company focused on the safe development of artificial general intelligence.
2015: Palantir's Valuation Soars
In 2015, Palantir Technologies reached a valuation of $20 billion, with Thiel as the largest shareholder.
2015: Thiel Purchases Estate Near Wānaka
In 2015, Peter Thiel purchased a 193-hectare estate near Wānaka, New Zealand. As a citizen, he did not require permission from New Zealand's Overseas Investment Office.
2015: Thiel Joins Y Combinator as Part-Time Partner
Peter Thiel joined Y Combinator, a renowned startup accelerator, as a part-time partner in 2015.
2015: Conversation on Innovation
Thiel, in a 2015 conversation with Tyler Cowen, argued that innovation was primarily occurring in computing and not the physical world.
May 2016: Confirmation of Funding Hulk Hogan's Lawsuit
In May 2016, Thiel confirmed financing Hulk Hogan's lawsuit against Gawker Media.
August 2016: Opinion Piece on Online Privacy
Thiel published an opinion piece in The New York Times in August 2016 defending online privacy.
August 2016: Gawker Media Shutdown
Gawker Media announced its closure in August 2016 following the lawsuit.
October 2016: Thiel Donates $1.25 Million to Trump Campaign
On 15 October 2016, Peter Thiel announced a $1.25 million donation in support of Donald Trump's presidential campaign. Thiel stated he initially withheld financial support but changed his mind when the campaign requested it. This marked a significant public endorsement of Trump from Thiel.
November 2016: Thiel at World Chess Championship
On 30 November 2016, Peter Thiel made the ceremonial first move in the first tiebreak game of the World Chess Championship 2016 between Sergey Karjakin and Magnus Carlsen.
2016: Thiel's Continued Divestment from Facebook
Thiel further reduced his Facebook holdings in 2016, selling under 1 million shares for about $100 million.
2016: Thiel's Involvement in Bollea v. Gawker Lawsuit
In 2016, Peter Thiel confirmed his financial support for Hulk Hogan in the lawsuit against Gawker Media. Thiel's involvement stemmed from Gawker's previous publication that outed him as gay.
2016: Thiel Apologizes for Statements in The Diversity Myth
In 2016, Peter Thiel apologized for insensitive statements made in his 1995 book, 'The Diversity Myth,' regarding the rape crisis movement and multicultural rape charges.
February 2017: Thiel's Continued Support for Methuselah Mouse Prize
By February 2017, Peter Thiel had donated over $7 million to the Methuselah Mouse Prize foundation, reinforcing his commitment to anti-aging research.
November 2017: Thiel's Further Share Sale
In November 2017, Thiel sold an additional 160,805 shares of Facebook for $29 million.
November 2017: Departure from Y Combinator
It was reported that Y Combinator had severed ties with Thiel in November 2017.
2017: Founders Fund's Bitcoin Investment
In 2017, Founders Fund made a significant investment in bitcoin, purchasing approximately $15–20 million worth of the cryptocurrency.
2017: Early Investor in Clearview AI
In 2017, Peter Thiel became one of the first outside investors in Clearview AI, a facial recognition startup.
2017: Thiel's New Zealand Citizenship Revealed
In 2017, it was revealed that Peter Thiel had received permanent residency in New Zealand in 2011. This raised controversies about how New Zealand passports can be obtained.
2017: Thiel on Seasteading Feasibility
In a 2017 interview, Peter Thiel described seasteads as 'not quite feasible from an engineering perspective' and stated that the concept was still far from becoming a reality.
2017: Thiel Concludes Role at Y Combinator
Peter Thiel concluded his tenure as a part-time partner at Y Combinator in 2017.
January 2018: Founders Fund's Bitcoin Holdings Surge in Value
By January 2018, Founders Fund's bitcoin holdings had surged in value to hundreds of millions of dollars due to the cryptocurrency's price appreciation.
July 2018: Thiel Donates to Trump Victory Committee
In July 2018, Peter Thiel donated $250,000 to the Trump Victory Committee to support the Republican National Committee during midterm elections and Trump's 2020 re-election campaign.
2019: Interview on "The Straussian Moment"
Thiel participated in a 2019 interview at the Hoover Institution discussing his essay "The Straussian Moment."
2019: Thiel's Roth IRA Value Reaches Over $5 Billion
By 2019, the value of Peter Thiel's Roth IRA had grown to more than $5 billion, thanks to strategic investments in companies like PayPal, Palantir, and Facebook.
April 2020: Thiel's Reduced Facebook Holdings
As of April 2020, Thiel's ownership in Facebook had decreased to less than 10,000 shares.
2020: Thiel Supports Trump's Re-election Campaign
In 2020, Peter Thiel continued his support for Donald Trump's re-election campaign, contributing to the political efforts despite controversies surrounding the administration.
2020: Support for Candidates Claiming Voter Fraud
In 2020, Peter Thiel supported several senatorial and congressional candidates who were proponents of the falsehood that there was significant voter fraud in the 2020 election. This support highlighted Thiel's involvement in controversial political narratives.
2021: Became FBI Informant
Business Insider reported that Thiel became an FBI informant in 2021.
2021: ProPublica Reveals Thiel's Roth IRA Growth
In 2021, ProPublica revealed that Peter Thiel's $1,700 investment in a Roth IRA in 1999 grew to more than $5 billion by 2019, largely due to investments in PayPal, Palantir, and Facebook.
February 2022: Thiel's Major Contributions to 2022 Election Campaign
By February 2022, Peter Thiel had become one of the largest donors to Republican candidates in the 2022 election campaign, contributing more than $20.4 million. He supported 16 senatorial and congressional candidates, some of whom promoted claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election.
February 2022: Thiel's Departure from Meta's Board
On February 7, 2022, Thiel announced his decision not to seek re-election to the board of Meta, Facebook's parent company, after 17 years of service.
2022: Thiel's Ongoing Role at Palantir
As of 2022, Thiel continues to serve as the chairman of Palantir Technologies.
2022: Thiel Endorses Blake Masters for Senate
In 2022, Peter Thiel endorsed Blake Masters' campaign in the United States Senate election in Arizona, donating more than $10 million.
2022: Right Time to Thiel by Jan Böhmermann
In 2022, satirist Jan Böhmermann released 'Right Time to Thiel,' a Bond theme-style song and music video.
March 2023: Death of Jeff Thomas
In March 2023, Peter Thiel's long-term partner Jeff Thomas, a social media influencer, passed away suddenly, marking a significant personal loss for Thiel.
June 2023: Peter Thiel's Net Worth Reaches $9.7 Billion
As of June 2023, Peter Thiel's estimated net worth reached $9.7 billion, securing his position as the 213th richest person on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
2023: Thiel Loses Interest in Democracy
In 2023, Barton Gellman of The Atlantic reported that Peter Thiel had 'lost interest in democracy' and would not be funding any politicians, including Donald Trump, in the next presidential campaign.
2027: Thiel Can Withdraw $5 Billion Tax-Free
By 2027, Peter Thiel will be eligible to withdraw the entire $5 billion+ amount from his Roth IRA tax-free, provided he waits until he turns 60.