Stewart Butterfield

Stewart Butterfield is a highly influential figure in the technology industry, renowned for co-founding two transformative companies: Flickr, an early photo-sharing platform acquired by Yahoo, and more notably, Slack, the ubiquitous workplace communication platform that Salesforce acquired for a staggering $27.7 billion. Leveraging his profound entrepreneurial success and deep understanding of enterprise software and collaboration, Butterfield has emerged as a prominent angel investor, primarily focusing on early-stage technology companies.

His investment philosophy is heavily influenced by his experience building tools that enhance productivity and reshape the future of work. Butterfield typically backs startups developing innovative solutions in areas such as developer tools, enterprise SaaS, and collaborative applications. His portfolio reflects a keen eye for disruptive potential, featuring notable investments in companies like Notion, Airtable, Coda, and Vercel. These investments underscore his commitment to supporting platforms that empower individuals and organizations to work more efficiently and effectively.

As an angel investor, Butterfield often participates in seed and Series A funding rounds, providing not only capital but also invaluable strategic guidance derived from his own journey as a successful founder. His personal investment portfolio, according to public records, includes over 70 distinct companies, demonstrating a consistent and active presence in the startup ecosystem. A testament to his investment acumen is his early backing of Figma, the collaborative design platform, which was later acquired by Adobe for approximately $20 billion, marking one of the largest software acquisitions in recent history.

Butterfield's unique perspective as a founder who built and scaled multi-billion dollar companies makes him a highly sought-after investor. He provides a founder-friendly approach, understanding the challenges and opportunities inherent in building a successful technology company from the ground up. His investments are strategic, aiming to foster the next generation of category-defining companies that align with his vision for a more productive and connected professional world.