Chris Sacca facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chris Sacca
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Sacca in 2017
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Christopher Sacca
May 12, 1975 |
| Education | Georgetown University (BS, JD) |
| Occupation | Angel investor, founder of Lowercase Capital |
| Spouse(s) | Crystal English Sacca |
| Children | 3 |
Christopher Sacca (born May 12, 1975) is an American investor, business advisor, and lawyer. He is known for starting Lowercase Capital, a company that invests in new technology businesses. Sacca's investments in companies like Twitter, Uber, and Instagram helped him become one of the top tech investors. For a few years, he was also a "Guest Shark" on the TV show Shark Tank. In 2017, Sacca announced he was stepping back from investing, but in 2021, he returned to focus on helping companies that work on climate change solutions.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Chris Sacca was born on May 12, 1975, in Lockport, New York. His father was a lawyer, and his mother was a college professor. Chris's parents encouraged him to explore many interests, taking him to science museums and book readings. His brother, Brian Sacca, is an actor.
College Years
Sacca went to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. He studied abroad in Ecuador, Ireland, and Spain. He earned a degree in foreign service in 1997. He also earned a law degree from Georgetown University in 2000, focusing on law and technology.
Career Journey
Early Business Ventures
While in law school, Sacca used his student loans to start a company. When that didn't work out, he used the rest of the money to trade stocks. He found a way to make a lot of money quickly, turning a small amount into $12 million by 2000. However, when the stock market crashed, he ended up owing a lot of money. He worked hard and paid off his debt by 2005.
In 2000, Sacca started working as a lawyer in Silicon Valley. He helped technology companies with their business deals. After being laid off in 2001, he worked as a freelancer, writing contracts and doing voice-overs.
Working at Google
In 2003, Sacca joined Google. He worked on important projects, like finding space for Google's data centers around the world. He also helped with Google's wireless internet projects and the free WiFi network in Mountain View, California. Sacca was part of the team that helped Google buy other companies. He received the Founders’ Award, which is Google's highest honor.
Becoming an Angel Investor
While at Google, Sacca started investing his own money in new companies. This is called being an angel investor. He gave advice to these companies on how to grow and succeed. His first investment was in Photobucket, a photo-sharing website.
His second big investment was in Twitter. In 2006, he invested $25,000 in the new microblogging service. He became one of Twitter's earliest users. Sacca believed in Twitter's potential and invested more money, even creating special funds to buy more shares in the company. He left Google in 2007 to focus on helping new companies.
Lowercase Capital Investments
In 2010, Sacca officially started his investment firm, Lowercase Capital. He raised $8.4 million for his first fund. This fund invested in many successful companies, including Uber, Docker, Optimizely, Instagram, and Twitter. Lowercase Capital also invested in non-tech companies like Blue Bottle Coffee Company.
Sacca became very involved with the companies he invested in. For example, he helped Uber get the rights to its name. Even though he wasn't officially on Twitter's team, he was a key advisor during its early years.
By 2011, Sacca's funds had bought about $400 million worth of Twitter shares. When Twitter became a public company in 2013, Sacca's investments in Twitter were worth around $1 billion.
By 2015, Forbes magazine estimated that Sacca was personally worth $1.2 billion. His early investments in Twitter had grown incredibly, returning $5 billion to investors. Fortune magazine called Lowercase Capital one of the most successful investment funds ever.
In 2017, Sacca announced he was retiring from venture investing. He said his firm would continue to support its current companies but would not make new investments.
Lowercarbon Capital and Climate Focus
In 2020, Sacca launched a new fund called Lowercarbon Capital. This fund focuses on companies that are working to solve climate change problems. Sacca and his wife initially funded it themselves. In 2021, the firm raised $800 million from other investors. By then, it had invested in about 50 companies that are trying to remove carbon dioxide from the air.
Shark Tank and Media Appearances
Sacca often talks about investing in the media. He has been featured as an expert on CNBC, CNN, and NPR. He also appeared on the TV show Shark Tank as a "Guest Shark." On the show, he would listen to entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas and decide whether to invest his own money. He invested in several businesses, including HatchBaby, Bee Free Honee, Rent Like a Champion, and Brightwheel.
Recognition
Since 2011, Chris Sacca has been listed on Forbes magazine's Midas List: Top Tech Investors. In 2015, he was featured on the cover of Forbes and ranked No. 3 on the Midas list. In 2017, he moved up to No. 2. BusinessWeek named him one of the top 10 angel investors, and Vanity Fair included him on its "New Establishment" list.
Personal Life
Chris Sacca's wife, Crystal English Sacca, is also a partner at Lowercase Capital. She has written books, including The Essential Scratch and Sniff Guide to Becoming a Wine Expert. The couple lives in Jackson, Wyoming, and Big Sky, Montana, with their three children.
Sacca is known for wearing Western-style shirts. He completed an Ironman Triathlon in 2008 and rode his bicycle across the country for charity in 2009.
Giving Back
Sacca is involved with charity: water, a group that works to bring clean drinking water to people around the world. He also supports The Skatepark Project, which helps build skateparks.
In 2019, Chris and Crystal Sacca signed The Giving Pledge. This means they have promised to donate most of their wealth to charity.
Political Involvement
Sacca was involved in Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign, advising on technology and media. He also helped with Obama's 2012 reelection campaign.
During the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Sacca supported Hillary Clinton. He also donated money to the ACLU in 2017 to support civil rights.
