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    Peter Thiel

    Peter Thiel

    Awards & Honours

    4

    Awards Won

    2

    Honours

    2

    Rankings

    3

    Covers

    2

    Records

    Peter Thiel's achievements in technology and venture capital are extraordinary. As a co-founder of PayPal and Palantir, and as the first outside investor in Facebook, he helped shape the modern internet economy. His venture firm Founders Fund has backed some of the most iconic companies of the 21st century, including SpaceX, Airbnb, and Stripe. Thiel's contrarian vision and willingness to back unconventional ideas have made him a legendary figure in Silicon Valley. His Thiel Fellowship has sparked debate by encouraging young people to pursue entrepreneurship over traditional education.

    Awards

    Honours & Distinctions

    New Zealand Citizenship

    Government of New Zealand·2011

    Granted citizenship under special circumstances; controversial when revealed in 2017.

    Honorary Doctorate

    University of Bucharest·2017

    Honorary doctorate for contributions to technology and entrepreneurship.

    Rankings & Lists

    #2

    Forbes Midas List

    Forbes·2014
    #Top 100

    Forbes World's Billionaires

    Forbes·2025

    Magazine Covers

    Forbes

    September 2014

    The Contrarian

    Bloomberg Businessweek

    October 2012

    Peter Thiel: The Man Who Made Facebook

    The New York Times Magazine

    January 2017

    Peter Thiel's Apocalyptic Vision

    Records & Feats

    First outside investor in Facebook

    Investment·2004

    Thiel invested $500,000 in Facebook in 2004, acquiring a 10.2% stake, which later grew to over $1 billion.

    Co-founded PayPal, sold for $1.5 billion

    Business·2002

    PayPal was acquired by eBay in 2002 for $1.5 billion, making Thiel a multimillionaire.