April 24, 2026 — Bob Iger has rejoined venture capital firm Thrive Capital as an advisor, just one month after stepping down as CEO of Disney. The move marks a return to a firm he briefly worked with before retaking the helm of the media giant in 2022.
Iger previously served as a venture partner at Thrive for two months in late 2022. He left that role when Disney’s board asked him to return as CEO, following his initial departure from the company in 2020.
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Thrive founder Josh Kushner announced the news on X. “Bob leads with boldness and conviction because he knows what he is building and why,” Kushner wrote. “He is rejoining Thrive at a time when that kind of leadership matters most.”
Advisory Role and Stake
Iger already owns a stake in Thrive. His new role will involve working with the firm’s investment staff and portfolio founders, according to the Wall Street Journal. The position is not expected to require a full-time commitment.
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The arrangement gives Thrive access to Iger’s decades of experience in media and entertainment. He led Disney through major acquisitions including Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and 21st Century Fox.
Thrive’s Growing Portfolio
Thrive Capital manages more than $50 billion in assets, according to PitchBook data. In February, the firm announced it had raised $10 billion in capital commitments for its 10th fund. That fund is the largest in Thrive’s 17-year history.
The firm holds significant stakes in several high-profile companies. These include OpenAI, Stripe, and SpaceX. Thrive also amassed a 7% ownership stake in Cursor, a coding startup that Bloomberg reported could be sold to SpaceX for about $4.2 billion.
Industry watchers note that Iger’s return to venture capital comes at a time when dealmaking in AI and enterprise software is accelerating. His experience working through large-scale acquisitions could prove valuable to Thrive’s portfolio companies.
What’s Next
Iger’s advisory role is likely to focus on strategic guidance rather than day-to-day operations. Thrive has not disclosed a specific timeline for his engagement.
The firm is expected to continue deploying capital from its latest fund across technology sectors. Iger’s involvement may also signal a broader push into media and entertainment investments.
This article was produced with AI assistance and reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy and quality.
