Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future
Thiel's best-known and most accessible book, presenting his ideas about startups, innovation, and building new companies.
Author guide
Peter Thiel Books in Order
Peter Thiel is a German-American entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and author. He co-founded PayPal and Palantir Technologies, founded Founders Fund, and co-authored The Diversity Myth with David O. Sacks and Zero to One with Blake Masters.
businessentrepreneurshippolitical commentarynonfiction
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Novels (2)
- The Diversity Myth: Multiculturalism and the Politics of Intolerance at Stanford
nonfiction-book · 1995
- Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future
nonfiction-book · 2014
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “This book delivers completely new and refreshing ideas on how to create value in the world.”—Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta “Peter Thiel has built multiple breakthrough companies, and Zero to One shows…
Frequently asked questions about Peter Thiel
Who is Peter Thiel?
Peter Thiel is a German-American entrepreneur and investor who co-founded PayPal and Palantir Technologies. He is also a partner at Founders Fund and a prominent technology philanthropist.
Where was Peter Thiel born and educated?
Thiel was born in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1967. He earned a B.A. in philosophy from Stanford University and a J.D. from Stanford Law School.
Sources: ebsco.com (opens in a new tab)smu.edu (opens in a new tab)
What role did Peter Thiel play in Facebook’s early history?
Thiel made Facebook’s first outside investment in 2004 and later served on its board. The investment helped establish his reputation as an unusually influential technology investor.
Sources: foundersfund.com (opens in a new tab)washingtonpost.com (opens in a new tab)
Which thinker most influenced Peter Thiel’s worldview?
René Girard is the intellectual influence most closely associated with Thiel. Thiel encountered Girard as a Stanford undergraduate and has discussed how Girard’s ideas about imitation, rivalry, and scapegoating shaped his thinking.
Sources: bishoprockcap.com (opens in a new tab)news.stanford.edu (opens in a new tab)
What awards and lasting legacy is Peter Thiel associated with?
In 2010, Thiel and Max Levchin received The Economist’s Innovation Award for business-process innovation connected with PayPal. His broader legacy includes the Thiel Fellowship and philanthropic efforts supporting technological progress and long-term thinking.
Sources: smu.edu (opens in a new tab)foundersfund.com (opens in a new tab)