Newlands Philanthropic LP operates as a private investment vehicle associated with WhatsApp co-founder Jan Koum. It functions as a part of the broader Newlands investment project. Unlike traditional philanthropies, this organization serves as a financial vehicle designed to manage and grow the funds of associated nonprofits, such as the Koum Family Foundation and the K18n Foundation, through its investment strategies. ^{1 2 3}

Background

Newlands Philanthropic is structured as a private partnership that maintains confidentiality and lacks a public-facing corporate presence. Under the larger Newlands investment umbrella, the organization manages billions in assets as the family office and wealth management vehicle for its investors. ^{1 3}

The investment portfolio managed by the firm is concentrated in large-cap technology stocks. Public filings show significant holdings in companies such as Meta, Tesla, Alphabet, Amazon, and DoorDash. The firm also engages in early-stage venture capital. Approximately fifty percent of the capital is allocated to public equities, with the remainder distributed across startups, cryptocurrency investments, and third-party funds. ⁴

Activities

Newlands Philanthropic uses a pooled fund model for charitable assets. Both the Koum Family Foundation and the K18n Foundation invest in Newlands Philanthropic LP. This allows these nonprofits to integrate their capital into the same professional investment stream utilized by the broader family office to achieve capital growth within the for-profit Newlands Philanthropic. Once the investments make a profit, the money is available for the foundations to give out as grants. A primary focus for these foundations is supporting global Jewish causes and Israel, which represents the core philanthropic mission for Jan Koum. ⁵ The K18n Foundation is structured as a supporting organization under the Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF), while Jan Koum has also historically engaged in significant philanthropic activity through a donor-advised fund (DAF) directly at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. ^{6 7}

Leadership

Jan Koum, the primary financial backer of Newlands, founded WhatsApp and served as its chief executive officer until its acquisition by Facebook in 2014. As of February 2026, he remains the central figure providing the capital that fuels the Newlands firm and Newlands Philanthropic. ^{4 9 3}

1. ^[1] Alex Konrad, “Secretive Firm Backed By WhatsApp Billionaire Jan Koum Has $10 Billion,” Forbes, November 26, 2023, https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkonrad/2023/11/26/secretive-firm-backed-by-whatsapp-billionaire-jan-koum-has-10-billion/.
2. “Tech Philanthropy Watch: WhatsApp Founder Jan Koum Has a New $1.5 Billion Fund,” Inside Philanthropy, February 15, 2024, https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/tech-philanthropy-watch-whatsapp-founder-jan-koum-has-a-new-1-5-billion-fund.
3. “WhatsApp Billionaire Joins The Secretive $10 Billion Startup Company: Newlands,” Dailymotion video, 8:22, Forbes, 2023, https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8q2mqk.
4. Alex Konrad, “Secretive Firm Backed By WhatsApp Billionaire Jan Koum Has $10 Billion,” Forbes, November 26, 2023, https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkonrad/2023/11/26/secretive-firm-backed-by-whatsapp-billionaire-jan-koum-has-10-billion/.
5. ^[1] “Tech Philanthropy Watch: WhatsApp Founder Jan Koum Has a New $1.5 Billion Fund,” Inside Philanthropy, February 15, 2024, https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/tech-philanthropy-watch-whatsapp-founder-jan-koum-has-a-new-1-5-billion-fund
6. ^[1] “Consolidated Financial Statements 2024,” Silicon Valley Community Foundation, accessed February 27, 2026, https://www.svcf.org/assets/img/media/svcf-financial-statement-audit-2024.pdf.
7. “K18N Foundation Profile,” GuideStar/Candid, accessed February 27, 2026, https://www.guidestar.org/profile/87-3826691
9. “WhatsApp Billionaire Joins The Secretive $10 Billion Startup Company: Newlands,” Dailymotion video, 8:22, Forbes, 2023, https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8q2mqk.

   Michael Abramson, who leads the firm, is a former partner at the venture capital firm Sequoia Capital. As of February 2026, he manages the day-to-day operations and strategic investment decisions of the Newlands entities, overseeing the firm’s equity and startup investment portfolio. ^{8 [1]} Alex Konrad, “Secretive Firm Backed By WhatsApp Billionaire Jan Koum Has $10 Billion,” Forbes, November 26, 2023, https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkonrad/2023/11/26/secretive-firm-backed-by-whatsapp-billionaire-jan-koum-has-10-billion/.