# Shaun Maguire

> Shaun Maguire is a partner at Sequoia Capital who bridges the worlds of theoretical physics and venture capital. With a PhD in quantum gravity from Caltech under John Preskill, he co-founded the cybersecurity company Expanse (acquired by Palo Alto Networks for over $1 billion) while completing his doctorate. At Sequoia, he leads investments in deep tech, aerospace, defense, and AI, backing companies like SpaceX, xAI, The Boring Company, and Neuralink. Before Sequoia, he was a partner at Google Ventures, where he led investments in Stripe, IonQ, and Opendoor. His unique background combines rigorous theoretical physics research on multiboundary wormholes with a track record of building and backing billion-dollar companies at the frontier of technology.

- **Role:** Partner at Sequoia Capital
- **Organizations:** Sequoia Capital, Expanse (co-founder), Google Ventures / GV (former partner), Caltech Institute for Quantum Information and Matter, Qadium (co-founder, later rebranded as Expanse)
- **From:** Orange County, California
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** PhD in Physics, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), MS in Control and Dynamical Systems, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), MS in Statistics, Stanford University, BS in Mathematics, University of Southern California (USC)
- **Known for:** Co-founded Expanse, sold to Palo Alto Networks for $1+ billion (2020), PhD in quantum gravity under renowned physicist John Preskill at Caltech, Led investments in Stripe, SpaceX, IonQ, Opendoor, xAI, The Boring Company, Neuralink

## Career timeline

- **1985** — Born in Orange County, California
- **2000s** — Earned BS in Mathematics from USC, competed in Putnam Mathematical Competition
- **2012** — Co-founded Qadium (later rebranded as Expanse), a cybersecurity company focused on internet-scale asset discovery
- **2016** — Joined Google Ventures (GV) as a partner while completing PhD at Caltech
- **2018** — Received PhD in Physics from Caltech; dissertation: 'The Spectral Theory of Multiboundary Wormholes' under John Preskill
- **2019** — Joined Sequoia Capital as partner focusing on deep tech, AI, aerospace, and defense
- **2020** — Expanse acquired by Palo Alto Networks for over $1 billion
- **2024** — Donated $300,000 to Trump campaign; served as advisor to presidential transition team
- **2025** — Assisted Elon Musk during DOGE tenure; involved in controversies over political statements

## Achievements

- Co-founded Expanse, sold to Palo Alto Networks for $1+ billion (2020)
- PhD in quantum gravity under renowned physicist John Preskill at Caltech
- Led investments in Stripe, SpaceX, IonQ, Opendoor, xAI, The Boring Company, Neuralink
- Partner at two of Silicon Valley's most prestigious VC firms (GV and Sequoia Capital)
- Published research on quantum gravity and black holes
- Most popular article on Quantum Frontiers blog logged ~142,000 views
- Competed in Putnam Mathematical Competition at USC
- Built successful cybersecurity company while completing theoretical physics PhD
- Manages Sequoia's relationship with all Elon Musk companies

## Latest updates

- **2025-12** — Faced controversy after spreading misinformation following Brown University shooting incident
- **2025-11** — Roelof Botha stepped down as Sequoia managing partner, with leadership passing to Alfred Lin and Pat Grady
- **2025-08** — Sequoia COO Sumaiya Balbale resigned following controversies
- **2025-07** — Drew criticism for comments about NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani
- **2024-11** — Served as advisor to Trump presidential transition team, focusing on intelligence community appointments
- **2024-05** — Announced $300,000 donation to Trump campaign following hush-money trial conviction

## Links

- Website: https://www.shaunmaguire.us/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaun-maguire-c/
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/shaunmmaguire
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shaun.maguire/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/shaun-maguire
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-03