Farzad (Zod) Nazem

Overview

Farzad (Zod) Nazem is a seasoned angel investor and former Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Yahoo! Inc. He has been actively investing in early-stage technology and healthcare startups since his retirement from Yahoo! in 2007. His investment portfolio includes over 60 companies, with a focus on Big Data, Cloud platforms, Health, and Medical sectors. Notable investments include Guardant Health, Zoom Video Communications, and Adaptive Biotechnologies. Prior to his investment career, Nazem served as the Executive Vice President of Engineering and CTO at Yahoo! from 1996 to 2007. During his tenure, he scaled the engineering team from six to 6,000 engineers and played a pivotal role in acquiring and integrating over 50 companies. Between 1985 and 1996, he held various software development and management positions at Oracle Corporation, culminating in his role as Vice President of the Media and Web Server Division. In addition to his investment activities, Nazem co-founded the HAND Foundation in 2003, an advisory and grant-making organization focused on the advancement of individuals and communities. He also serves on the board of trustees of The Nueva School, an institution for gifted learners. Nazem holds a B.S. degree in Computer Science with highest honors from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, earned at age 19.

Investment Focus

• Proven product-market fit
• Scalable business model
• Experienced founding team

Portfolio Companies