Michael Stoppelman

Michael Stoppelman is a highly influential and prolific angel investor based in Los Angeles, known for his strategic early-stage investments in some of the most successful technology companies of the past decade. His investment acumen is deeply rooted in his extensive operational background, particularly his tenure as the Senior Vice President of Engineering at Yelp. During his time at Yelp, he played a pivotal role in scaling the company's engineering operations and product development, providing him with invaluable insights into building and growing high-impact technology platforms. This operational expertise, combined with his deep technical understanding, makes him a valuable advisor to the founders he backs.

Stoppelman primarily focuses on seed and angel-stage opportunities, often participating in highly competitive rounds. His portfolio is exceptionally strong, featuring early investments in industry giants such as Instacart, Figma, Flexport, Brex, Chime, DoorDash, Notion, Rippling, Scale AI, and Stripe, among many others. He demonstrates a clear preference for companies leveraging innovative technology to disrupt large markets, with a particular interest in B2B SaaS, fintech, and developer tools. His investment philosophy appears to prioritize strong founding teams, scalable business models, and significant market potential.

As an active angel, Stoppelman has amassed a substantial portfolio, with Crunchbase indicating over 100 investments across more than 100 companies. This impressive volume underscores his commitment to the startup ecosystem. Furthermore, his track record includes over 40 reported exits, highlighting his ability to identify and support ventures that achieve successful liquidity events. While specific check sizes for angel investors are rarely disclosed, given his prominence and the caliber of companies he invests in, his typical first checks are estimated to range from $50,000 to $500,000. He is known for being a founder-friendly investor who provides not just capital, but also strategic guidance and access to his extensive network.