GK
George Kaiser Family Foundation
Foundation · Founded 1999 · Tulsa, United States
Who George Kaiser Family Foundation is.
- Historical Background
- The George Kaiser Family Foundation was established in 1999 by George B. Kaiser, a Tulsa-based businessman who built his wealth in the oil and gas and banking industries. The foundation was created with the guiding principle of addressing developmental inequalities, believing that every child deserves an equal opportunity for success. A significant early initiative was the creation of the Tulsa Community Foundation in 1998, which works in concert with GKFF on various local philanthropic efforts.
- Source of Capital
- The foundation's capital originates from the personal wealth of its founder, George B. Kaiser. The endowment is primarily funded by assets derived from Kaiser's business activities, including the Kaiser-Francis Oil Company and the Bank of Oklahoma.
- Major Events
- In 2009, the foundation made a significant investment of $340 million in the solar panel manufacturer Solyndra, which later declared bankruptcy. GKFF was the primary benefactor for the creation of Gathering Place, a large public park built on nearly 100 acres of Tulsa's riverfront, which opened in 2018.
- Allocation Strategy
- The foundation's grantmaking is heavily concentrated on early childhood education, social services, and civic enhancement projects. Geographically, the foundation's efforts are intensely focused on Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the surrounding region. GKFF's investment approach is noted for its direct community impact, including providing venture capital to companies that agree to relocate operations to Tulsa through its Tulsa Innovation Labs initiative.
The funds George Kaiser Family Foundation backs.
George Kaiser Family Foundation is a limited partner in 53 funds. 3 of them place in the Power Law Investor Ranking; those lead, best-ranked first.
How George Kaiser Family Foundation’s fund book is spread.
The 53 funds George Kaiser Family Foundation backs, by where the manager is headquartered and how many funds that manager has raised.
Where those managers are based
By fund headquarters, across the 52 of 53 with a location on record.
- North America 3058%
- Europe 1223%
- Rest of world 1019%
United States 30 · United Kingdom 7 · India 2 · Israel 2
How established those managers are
Managers grouped by how many funds they have raised — across the 23 of 53 with a fund history on record.
The companies George Kaiser Family Foundation backs directly.
George Kaiser Family Foundation holds 20 companies directly, separate from the funds it commits to as a limited partner. Broken down by headquarters country, sector, entry stage and current growth stage. "Stage entered" is the first priced round the investor joined, derived from the investor’s transaction history.
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USA16
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Israel2
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Canada1
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India1
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Enterprise Software6
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Education3
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Energy3
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Fintech3
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Health3
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Security3
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Marketing2
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Real Estate2
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Home Living1
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Jobs Recruitment1
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Media1
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Wellness Beauty1
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Series A9
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Series B+6
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Seed5
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Breakout Stage14
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Early Growth4
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Late Growth2
Inside George Kaiser Family Foundation’s portfolio.
The 20 highest-funded portfolio companies, of 20 tracked.
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OpWhere George Kaiser Family Foundation’s portfolio founders come from.
24 founders across the 20 highest-funded portfolio companies — by current location, university attended, and the companies they worked at before founding. Sourced from the founder records the API links to each portfolio company.
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United States18
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Israel3
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India1
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Singapore1
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United Kingdom1
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Babson College2
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Griffith University2
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Grove City College2
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Tel Aviv University2
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Carnegie Mellon University1
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Delhi University1
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Francis W. Parker School1
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Handelsgymnasiet Ribe1
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Howard University1
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Indian School of Business1
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Apple2
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StartX2
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WeWork2
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WeWork Labs2
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Amylin Pharmaceuticals1
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Aniyways1
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Argus Cyber Security1
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Aruba Networks1
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Behalf1
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BigPanda1
Other LPs.
Other foundations in the Power Law LP ranking, closest to George Kaiser Family Foundation by combined power-law score — North America first, then the nearest worldwide.