• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechVenture Capital

Tesla, SpaceX Director Steve Jurvetson Leaves VC Firm Amid Sex Harassment Allegations

By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 13, 2017, 7:01 PM ET

A prominent venture capitalist facing sexual harassment allegations has stepped down in addition to taking leave from the boards of Tesla and SpaceX.

Steve Jurvetson has left Silicon Valley venture capital firm Draper Fisher Jurvetson following an internal investigation, according to a Recode report on Monday.

DFJ issued a statement saying that Jurvetson and the VC firm parted ways “by mutual agreement.”

“DFJ’s culture has been, and will continue to be, built on the values of respect and integrity in all of our interactions,” a DFJ spokesperson said. “We are focused on the success of our portfolio companies, as well as the long-term vision for the firm and will continue to operate with the highest professional standards.”

The firm’s did not reveal the reason for Jurvetson’s departure. But anonymous sources cited by Recode said “the investigation uncovered behaviors by Jurvetson that were unacceptable related to a negative tone toward women entrepreneurs.”

Jurvetson said on Twitter that he is leaving the VC firm “to focus on personal matters, including taking legal action against those whose false statements have defamed me.”

https://twitter.com/dfjsteve/status/930170825625370624

Jurvetson is also taking a leave of absence from his board positions at aerospace company SpaceX and electric car maker Tesla, “pending resolution of these allegations,” a Tesla (TSLA) spokesperson told Fortune in an email.

Jurvetson, who was one of the first investors in Hotmail, is also a board member of several startups including D-Wave, Memphis Meats, Mythic, Planet Labs, and Synthetic Genomics.

The investor’s departure comes weeks after tech news publication The Information published a report that said DFJ was investigating potential harassment allegations involving Jurvetson. Additionally Keri Kukral, a founder of media startup RawScience TV, alleged in a Facebook posting that “women approached by founding partners of Draper Fisher Jurvetson should be careful,” citing “predatory behavior.”

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

DFJ operating partner Heidi Roizen later responded to the Facebook posting without mentioning Kukral’s name by saying the behavior described “is patently wrong.” She added that “during the summer this year, we heard about allegations of misconduct by one (and only one) of our partners from a third party.”

Other prominent venture capitalists that have come under fire for sexual harassment allegations include Justin Caldbeck, Dave McClure, Marc Canter, and Chris Sacca.

About the Author
By Jonathan Vanian
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Jonathan Vanian is a former Fortune reporter. He covered business technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data privacy, and other topics.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Elon Musk walks surrounded by men in suits
LawElon Musk
Elon Musk is escalating his feud with a Delaware judge over a ‘heart’ on a LinkedIn post
By Jacqueline MunisMarch 30, 2026
35 minutes ago
chris power
SuccessJobs
A CEO trying to reindustrialize America says blue-collar pay is headed for ‘massive hyperinflation’ and kids should skip college to become welders
By Jake AngeloMarch 30, 2026
59 minutes ago
Mark Zuckerberg (L), Lauren Sanchez (C) and partner of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, attend the inauguration of Donald Trump
SuccessWealth
Even billionaires aren’t safe: This year’s market slump has wiped $75 billion from the wealth of Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg
By Preston ForeMarch 30, 2026
3 hours ago
leagh
CommentarySoftware
I’m a CEO who oversees $9.5 trillion in spend data. AI’s winners are already decided
By Leagh TurnerMarch 30, 2026
4 hours ago
CryptoBlockchain
Ex-Blackstone staffers raise $25 million for startup Valinor, which aims to put private credit on the blockchain
By Ben WeissMarch 30, 2026
5 hours ago
Oliver Kharraz, CEO of Zocdoc, sits on a couch.
NewslettersTerm Sheet
AI is reshaping the doctor visit—just not how you think
By Lily Mae LazarusMarch 30, 2026
6 hours ago

Most Popular

Europe
413,793 KitKat bars stolen: 'Whilst we appreciate the criminals’ exceptional taste, the fact remains that cargo theft is an escalating issue'
By Fortune EditorsMarch 28, 2026
2 days ago
Energy
Elon Musk warns the U.S. could soon be producing more chips than we can turn on. And China doesn’t have the same issue
By Fortune EditorsMarch 29, 2026
1 day ago
Energy
Russia was expecting a windfall from soaring oil prices, but relentless Ukrainian drone attacks are devastating nearly half its export capacity
By Fortune EditorsMarch 29, 2026
1 day ago
Energy
Saudi pipeline to bypass Hormuz hits 7 million barrel goal
By Fortune EditorsMarch 28, 2026
2 days ago
Personal Finance
Some cried. Others were speechless. How frontline workers walked away with checks averaging $240,000, nearly equal Wall Street bonuses, when KKR sold their company
By Fortune EditorsMarch 29, 2026
1 day ago
Success
She left a Silicon Valley VC to solve a problem left untouched for 88 years. Now her bra brand is the fastest-growing at Nordstrom
By Fortune EditorsMarch 29, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.