David Frankel
InvestorFounderManaging Partner at Founder Collective · Board director at Dalton Mills · Board director at Subsalt · Board director at Regal Voice, Inc.
Boston & New York
Writes $400K – $2M checks · typically $1M
FoundedFounder Collective
Midas 2026 · #69Midas 2025 · #27Midas 2024 · #15Midas 2023 · #11Midas 2022 · #11
About
David Frankel is Managing Partner of Founder Collective, an early-stage fund based in Boston and New York and started by a team of entrepreneurs who had previously built and exited their own companies. He has led the firm's investments in companies including Pillpack, Coupang, SeatGeek and Buzzfeed, and earlier provided seed capital to Olo and Volaris. Before venture capital, he co-founded and served as CEO of Internet Solutions, which grew to become the largest ISP in Africa before being sold to NTT Dimension Data.
Invests in
AI & Machine LearningConsumerEnterprise SoftwareSaaSSector Agnostic
Beyond investing
- Founded
- Co-founded Internet Solutions, which became the largest ISP in Africa and was sold to NTT Dimension Data.
From David's own website — common ground for a warm intro.
Board director at Dalton Mills
Intro paths
In turn, David can intro founders to Dalton Mills's investors below.
Dalton Mills's investors · 2
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Co-founders at Dalton Mills
Board director at Subsalt
Intro paths
In turn, David can intro founders to Subsalt's investors below.
Subsalt's investors · 5
Co-founders at Subsalt
Board director at Regal Voice, Inc.
Intro paths
In turn, David can intro founders to Regal Voice, Inc.'s investors below.
Regal Voice, Inc.'s investors · 1
Co-founders at Regal Voice, Inc.
Experience
- Founder CollectiveManaging Partnercurrent2009 — presentGreater Boston
- SunoSole Pre-Seed Investorcurrent2022 — presentBoston, Massachusetts, United States
- Shield AISeed Investorcurrent2016 — presentSan Diego, California, United States
- SmallsLead Seed Investor, Board of Directorscurrent2018 — presentNew York, United States
- Regal.ioBoard Membercurrent2020 — presentNew York, United States
- WeavySeed Investor2024 — 2025Tel Aviv-Yafo, Tel Aviv District, Israel
- OLO Online OrderingSole Seed Investor, Board Member2005 — 2025New York City Metropolitan Area
- Rand Merchant BankBoard Member2007 — 2022City of Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
- SeatGeekLead Seed Investor, Board Member2010 — 2022Manhattan, New York
- CoupangSeed Investor2010 — 2021Seoul, Korea
- PillPackBoard Member2013 — 2019Greater Boston
- MediaRadarSeed Investor, Board Member2005 — 2017New York City Metropolitan Area
- DatalotBoard Member2009 — 2017Brooklyn, New York
- Opower (Acquired by Oracle)Seed Investor2007 — 2016Washington DC-Baltimore Area
- Blue Box (Acquired by IBM)Board Member2012 — 2015Greater Seattle Area
- TrialPay (Acquired by Visa)Seed Investor2006 — 2015Mountainview, CA
- hunch (Acquired by eBay)Seed Investor2007 — 2011New York, New York
- Cura Risk (Acquired by Softpro)Chairman & Major Investor2006 — 2009
- Getmein (Acquired by ticketmaster)Board Member, Sole Major Investor2007 — 2008London Area, United Kingdom
- Brontes Technologies (Acquired by 3M)Sole Seed Investor2003 — 2006Greater Boston
- SiteAdvisor (acquired by McAfee)Original Termsheet and Seed Investor2005 — 2006Greater Boston
- World Economic ForumGLT Class of 20012001 — 2004
- Dimension Data (Acquired by NTT Japan)Board Of Directors2001 — 2004London Area, United Kingdom
- Internet Solutions (Acquired by Dimension Data)Co-Founder/CEO1994 — 2000City of Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
- Dimension Data (Acquired by NTT Japan)Executive Board Member1997 — 2000London Area, United Kingdom
Education
- Harvard Business SchoolMaster of Business Administration (MBA)2001 — 2003
- University of the WitwatersrandBSc, Electrical Engineering1989 — 1992
Skills & more
+7 more
Mergers & AcquisitionsProduct ManagementBusiness DevelopmentBusiness StrategyLeadershipStrategyManagementFrom David's professional profile.
Deals · 9
SubsaltBoard seat
via Founder Collective · filed Apr 2026 · $3.1M raise
Mstone AIBoard seat
via Founder Collective · filed Jun 2025 · $5.8M raise
Regal Voice, Inc.Board seat
via Founder Collective · filed Jul 2023 · $15M raise
Mobo SystemsBoard seat
via Founder Collective · filed Nov 2021 · $103.3M raise
True Pet Food ProjectBoard seat
via Founder Collective · filed Jun 2018 · $3M raise
GethumanBoard seat
via Founder Collective · filed Nov 2016 · $3.1M raise
PillPackBoard seat
via Founder Collective · filed Jun 2015 · $50M raise
DataboxBoard seat
via Founder Collective · filed May 2015 · $3.7M raise
CoupangLed round
Attribution from SEC filings, press coverage, and firm rosters.
Other disclosed investments
Sources: the investor's own website · SEC Form D filings.
Colleagues at Founder Collective
Network16
▶4 more connections
Raj De Datta · scoutSam Endacott · scoutMicah RosenbloomNadia Boujarwah
Investors connected to David in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is David Frankel?
- David Frankel is Managing Partner of Founder Collective, an early-stage fund based in Boston and New York and started by a team of entrepreneurs who had previously built and exited their own companies. He has led the firm's investments in companies including Pillpack, Coupang, SeatGeek and Buzzfeed, and earlier provided seed capital to Olo and Volaris. Before venture capital, he co-founded and served as CEO of Internet Solutions, which grew to become the largest ISP in Africa before being sold to NTT Dimension Data.
- Where does David Frankel work?
- David Frankel is Founder of Founder Collective and Managing Partner at Founder Collective and Board director at Dalton Mills and Board director at Subsalt and Board director at Regal Voice, Inc..
- What does David Frankel invest in?
- David Frankel invests in AI & Machine Learning, Consumer, Enterprise Software, SaaS, Sector Agnostic.
- What check size does David Frankel write?
- David Frankel typically writes checks of $400K – $2M.
- What companies did David Frankel found?
- David Frankel founded Founder Collective.
- What boards does David Frankel sit on?
- David Frankel holds tracked board seats at Avant Garde, Dalton Mills, Databox, Gethuman, Mobo Systems, Mobo Systems, Mstone AI, New York, NY, PillPack, Regal Voice, Inc..
- What companies has David Frankel invested in?
- Investments tracked here include Buzzfeed, Coupang, PillPack, Seatgeek, Olo, Volaris.
- Where did David Frankel go to school?
- David Frankel studied at Harvard Business School (Master of Business Administration (MBA)); University of the Witwatersrand (BSc, Electrical Engineering).
- Does David Frankel lead rounds?
- Yes — David Frankel has led 4 tracked investments.
Founder mafias
Harvard Business School mafia323
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
+ 316 more
Founder Collective mafia10
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
+ 3 more
Shield AI mafia9
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
+ 2 more
University of the Witwatersrand mafia6
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Coupang mafia4
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Same school
Also attended Harvard Business School1,977
+ 1,971 more
Also attended University of the Witwatersrand70
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+ 64 more
