No. 2

Joi Ito from Inbamura

No. 2

Ron Conway
Investor

No. of Angel Investments: 190
Companies funded (a sampling): Google, Facebook, bit.ly, Digg, Mint.com, Twitter

Considered the dean of angel investing in Silicon Valley, Conway, a former technology salesman, has invested in nearly 200 companies. He sees practically every startup deal and has used that power to his advantage, investing in many of the most important startups of the past decade, including Google, PayPal, Facebook, and Twitter. These days Conway invests through a new firm called SV Angel. As Silicon Valley’s most prolific angel investor, Conway has seen the emergence of former Google employees as a force in the investment community and the tech industry. "As Google matures, its alums are continuing to have a huge impact on Silicon Valley and the tech industry," Conway said via e-mail. "The Google angels understand Web 2.0, social media, and beyond, and they are investing in the next generation of innovation."