science
Roelof Botha Joins SpaceX Board After IPO
The former Sequoia Capital steward and PayPal CFO was named to the board less than a week after SpaceX completed its initial public offering.
FO
biznews.comAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
Roelof Botha has joined the board of SpaceX, according to a filing reported by Fortune. The appointment comes less than one week after SpaceX completed its IPO. Botha stepped down as Sequoia steward about seven months earlier.
He had led the venture capital firm during a period described as difficult in its history. Botha served as CFO at PayPal during the dotcom era. Elon Musk was a cofounder of the company, and both men are originally from South Africa.
As an investor, Botha backed YouTube, Instagram, Block, and MongoDB. Sequoia has been among SpaceX’s key venture backers. Botha was featured on the cover of Fortune in 2024. He declined comment for the current article.
In a 2025 interview with Fortune, Botha said of Musk: “I’ve known Elon for over 25 years. He was the first person to offer me a job in America. He believed in me when I was an unknown student at Stanford.
I have a lot of appreciation and understanding that he’s not perfect. None of us are. He deeply cares about doing the right thing. You may fault some of his actions. Maybe there are unintended consequences.
Transparency
How sources framed this
LeftNeutralRightInsider favoritism appointmentSeasoned investor oversight role
LeftNeutralRightInsider pickVeteran oversigh
CorroborationLimited · 2 sources
