Chase Coleman III is the founder of Tiger Global Management and one of the most prominent of the 'Tiger Cubs,' the proteges of legendary investor Julian Robertson. A descendant of Peter Stuyvesant, the last Dutch governor of New York, Coleman joined Robertson's Tiger Management out of Williams College in 1997; when Robertson wound down his fund in 2000, he staked Coleman with about $25 million to strike out on his own.
Coleman founded Tiger Global in 2001 and built it into a crossover firm that invests across public stocks, venture capital, and private equity, growing to roughly $70 billion in total assets under management. For two decades it generated about 21% annual returns, helping make Coleman one of the wealthiest hedge fund managers in the world before a sharp reversal.
Tiger Global was among the most aggressive backers of startups during the 2020-2021 boom, and its hedge fund plunged about 56% in the 2022 tech selloff, forcing heavy markdowns on its venture portfolio. Coleman has since concentrated the public book in a small number of large technology and AI companies while continuing to clue capital into private tech worldwide.
What they control
- Tiger Global Management, as founder and managing partner
- Roughly $70 billion in total assets across hedge fund, venture, and private-equity vehicles
- Large, concentrated public-equity stakes in leading technology and AI companies
- A sprawling private and venture portfolio of global startups
- Significant influence over late-stage startup valuations and tech capital flows
Key institutions & holdings
Crossover firm spanning public equities, venture capital, and private equity; ~$70B total AUM.
Trained under Robertson before launching his own fund with Robertson's backing.
Key facts
- Born June 1, 1975; a descendant of Peter Stuyvesant, the last Dutch governor of New York.
- Founded Tiger Global Management in 2001 after Julian Robertson staked him with about $25 million.
- One of the most prominent 'Tiger Cubs,' with roughly 21% annual returns for two decades before 2022.
- Tiger Global's hedge fund fell about 56% in the 2022 tech selloff; total AUM was around $70 billion by 2025.
- Concentrated roughly 35% of its ~$23 billion hedge-fund equity book in three AI-related stocks in early 2025.
- Forbes estimated his net worth above $6 billion in 2025, with other estimates ranging higher.
Timeline
- 1997Joins Julian Robertson's Tiger Management after graduating from Williams College.
- 2000Robertson winds down Tiger Management and stakes Coleman with about $25 million.
- 2001Founds Tiger Global Management.
- 2020-2021Becomes one of the most aggressive backers of startups during the venture boom.
- 2022Tiger Global's hedge fund plunges about 56% in the tech selloff and marks down its venture portfolio.
- 2025Runs a concentrated public book heavy in technology and AI megacaps amid ~$70 billion in total AUM.
Controversies
2022 collapse and venture markdowns · 2022
After racing to deploy capital during the 2020-2021 boom, Tiger Global's hedge fund fell roughly 56% in 2022 and its venture funds took heavy writedowns, raising questions about the firm's aggressive deal pace and valuations.
Inflating startup valuations · 2020-2022
Tiger Global's blistering, large-check investing in 2020-2021 was widely cited as helping inflate late-stage private valuations, contributing to the boom-and-bust cycle in venture funding.
Concentration in a few AI megacaps · 2024-2025
Coleman's heavy public-equity concentration in a small number of dominant technology and AI firms amplifies investor exposure to those companies' fortunes.
Network
- Julian RobertsonMentorTiger Management founder (died 2022) who trained and seeded Coleman.
- Scott ShleiferLongtime partnerBuilt and led Tiger Global's private-equity and venture investing.
- Tiger CubsPeer networkFellow Robertson proteges running major funds, a powerful cluster in tech investing.
Why this matters
Tiger Global's capital moves both public stock markets and the private startup economy. During the 2020-2021 boom its rapid, large investments helped inflate startup valuations, and its 2022 reversal fed the funding freeze that followed; concentrated bets on a handful of AI giants also deepen the market's dependence on a few dominant firms. Decisions by a single private fund manager thus shape which companies get built, who gets funded, and how the pension and endowment money invested through such funds performs.