Fred Wilson
Partner·Union Square Ventures
Bio
Professional summary
Fred Wilson is a partner at Union Square Ventures and has worked in venture capital since 1987. His official USV profile also identifies him as the founder of Flatiron Partners. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from MIT and an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. The profile states that he lives in New York City and serves as chairman of the NYC Department of Education’s CS4All Capital Campaign and co-chairman of Tech:NYC.
Investment focus
Stage, sector, and overall fit
Stage
Sector
Thesis
Notable companies
Selected portfolio companies the partner has backed
How to approach
Framing and angles for outreach
Pitch framing
Emphasize large network effects, internet-native markets, or civic / ecosystem impact if relevant.
Partneralization hooks
- 1Reference his long-running AVC writing only if the outreach ties to a specific idea he has written about.
- 2Mention New York tech ecosystem relevance if genuinely applicable.
Recent signals
What the partner has said or done recently
Recent posts listed on his USV profile include travel writing and a post titled 'Vitalik: An Ethereum Story' in September 2024.
Background
Career, education, and skills
Career history
- Union Square VenturesPartner2003 - Present
- Flatiron PartnersCo-Founder1996 - 2001
Education
- MITB.S., Mechanical Engineering
- The Wharton School, University of PennsylvaniaMBA
Skills
Other partners at Union Square Ventures
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