S.F. power broker Ron Conway says he has rare form of cancer

Ron Conway, the influential Silicon Valley investor and longtime San Francisco political force, said Friday that he has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and will begin treatment immediately.

Conway announced on X that his treatment will span about a year and involve "multiple strategies."

He said he will step back from some business responsibilities but will remain involved in SV Angel, his venture capital firm .

"I am optimistic about my prognosis," he said in the social media post. "I am fortunate to have the best/amazing team of UCSF doctors in San Francisco, and as you know, I never back down from a fight."

Conway said he chose not to share the specific type of cancer.

"I don't want speculation about my prognosis," he wrote. "I appreciate your understanding and respect for this."

Conway is one of the most influential figures in the Bay Area's tech sector, who made early bets on companies including Google, Facebook, Twitter, Airbnb, Square and Zappos.

A San Francisco native, Conway grew up near Lake Merced, attended San Jose State with a degree in political science, and built his fortune after co-founding Altos Computer System before becoming one of Silicon Valley's more prominent angel investors.

During Mayor Ed Lee's era, he became one of the most visible advocates for the tech industry, and a central figure in City Hall politics.

Over the years, Conway also became a major philanthropic figure in San Francisco. In 2015, he donated $40 million to help fund a new UCSF outpatient center at Mission Bay, which was named the UCSF Ron Conway Family Gateway Medical Building.

He has also supported efforts to curb homelessness, boost public education and prevent gun violence.

As a political player in San Francisco, Conway has played an outsized role, backing Mayor London Breed's reelection efforts, funding campaigns for District Attorney Brooke Jenkins and in favor of the Chesa Boudin recall, and by donating to ballot measures focused on downtown recovery and policing.

Last year, he stepped down from the board of the Salesforce Foundation after criticizing Marc Benioff over his comments expressing support for President Trump and suggesting that the National Guard be sent to San Francisco.

Conway said that while SV Angel will remain unchanged, his sons, Topher and Ronny, will continue to run the investment and management of the firm.

"They bring experience from nearly every major technology cycle in Silicon Valley and are now focused on partnering with founders building the future of AI," Conway said. "With a more focused and balanced schedule, I can prioritize treatments while helping SV Angel founders at inflection points like we always do!"

He ended his message with a note of gratitude.

"Thank you for your support, it means a great deal to me," Conway wrote.

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This story was originally published April 18, 2026 at 2:10 AM.