• Silicon Valley executives are big fans of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings."
• Many founders have turned to the series for inspiration when naming their companies and products.
• From Erebor to Rivendell, here are all the tech industry's nods to "The Lord of the Rings."

"The Lord of the Rings," or LotR to those in the know, isn't just standard reading among those in the tech industry.

It also inspires their ventures.

Billionaire PayPal cofounder Peter Thiel, for instance, has started several companies inspired by the J.R.R. Tolkien series.

The fantasy trilogy, a sequel to 1937's "The Hobbit," was first published in the mid-1950s. It follows an unlikely hero, Frodo Baggins, as he and a team of allies adventure across Middle Earth to destroy a powerful ring that could bring darkness to the world if it fell into the hands of Sauron, the dark lord.

On Halloween in 2018, the Salesforce Tower, a hallmark of the San Francisco skyline, was lit to resemble the ever-watchful "Eye of Sauron."

"'Lord of the Rings' represents a group of people going out and doing something extraordinary," Quinn Reilly, a longtime fan who helped organize the Salesforce tower lighting, previously told BI. "That's not unlike the mission that most startups set out to go on."

Here is an ongoing list of Silicon Valley's top "Lord of the Rings"-inspired companies.

Erebor

Billionaire tech founder Palmer Luckey's new digital bank for startups and cryptocurrency companies is named after the Lonely Mountain, the wealthy subterranean kingdom and Dwarven stronghold in "The Lord of the Rings."

The bank is set to be valued at $2 billion, sources told BI, and has funding from Thiel, via his Founders Fund, and Joe Lonsdale, via 8VC.

Anduril

Another Luckey venture, the defense-tech startup Anduril, founded in 2017, is named after the legendary sword used by Aragorn, a hero in "The Lord of the Rings" story. Anduril means "Flame of the West."

The company has been at the forefront of AI-powered innovations in warfare, from drones to autonomous weapons systems.

Palantir

Palantir — founded in 2003 by Peter Thiel, Joe Lonsdale, Stephen Cohen, and Alex Karp — is a government-focused software giant. It takes its name from the mystical, all-powerful seeing stone in "The Lord of the Rings" series.

Mithril Capital

Thiel launched Mithril Capital in 2012 to invest in late-stage startups. The firm, which counts Vice President JD Vance among its alumni, takes its name from a valuable and rare precious metal used to make armor and jewelry in "The Lord of the Rings." It's a symbol of wealth and status.

Durin Mining

The startup, founded by Ted Feldmann last year, builds and automates drill rigs for mineral discovery. Its name is inspired by a lineage of dwarf kings in "The Lord of the Rings." Dwarves are famous for their mining skills.

Rivendell One LLC

Rivendell, often described in the novels as a hidden sanctuary in Middle Earth, is home to the elven kingdom. It is also a trust that Thiel uses to invest and manage his Facebook shares.

Lembas LLC

Lembas, another investment vehicle Thiel founded, is a special food made by elves in "The Lord of the Rings" series. It's light and nutritious and a good snack that sustains elves as they travel across Middle Earth.

Valar Ventures

Valar Ventures, a venture capital firm cofounded by Thiel, Andrew McCormack, and James Fitzgerald, is a reference to a group of powerful beings with godlike powers revered in Middle Earth.

There's also a startup called Valar that is building gigasites for nuclear reactors.

Sauron Systems

This home security system that leverages AI is named after Sauron, the main character of "The Lord of the Rings," who seeks the powerful ring to rule all of Middle Earth. The Eye of Sauron is ever-watchful and all-seeing.

President Donald Trump enacted sweeping tariff measures on the vast majority of U.S. trade partners earlier this year.

The Boston Celtics' interest in free agent guard Damian Lillard has received a major update.

When Mariana Bom told doctors about her concerns, she "was laughed at" and told it was likely just a side effect of pregnancy.

As Micah Parsons is on the hunt for a new contract, the Dallas Cowboys are reportedly relaxed, knowing they will get a deal done soon.

Despite it being unclear just how much he'll be on the field in year one, rookie projections have surfaced for New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart.

The 2025 IndyCar season is racing into Mid-Ohio for one of the fan-favorite stops on the circuit, the Honda Indy 200 on Sunday afternoon.

The BetMGM bonus code NW150 will give new users a $150 bonus or $1,500 bet offer for USA-Mexico in the Gold Cup Final and MLB games.

The DraftKings promo code for MLB, USA-Mexico Gold Cup, Wimbledon and more will score a bet $5, get $150 instant bonus.

The FanDuel promo code for MLB games and the USA-Mexico Gold Cup final will unlock a bet $5, win $150 bonus Sunday.

The foundation's executive director told Newsweek that Tigre is now in his forever home, thanks to a special initiative.

On Sunday, two of the best teams in the WNBA will meet as the New York Liberty (12-5) play host to the Seattle Storm (11-7).

Beijing has declared Taiwan as an "inalienable" part of China, whereas Taipei has long asserted its independence.

Round 3, John Deere Classic 2025: Kevin Roy stirred controversy after a bunker ruling, prompting backlash and shock from Sky Sports commentator Laura Davies.

The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly showing interest in a sleeper option in NBA free agency.

Norway faces Poland in the 2025 UEFA Women's Euro tournament in what promises to be a competitive clash between two talented European squads.

• The biggest hedge funds are battling it out to attract and retain top talent and outperform peers.
• Business Insider has talked to elite hedge funds to get a peek into their recruiting processes.
• From internships to high-paying tech jobs, here's what we know about their hiring practices.

The battle for talent in the hedge fund world is fiercer than ever — and it cuts across all levels and positions.

With six-figure starting salaries, intense work environments, and the chance to work alongside some of the industry's top investors, these roles are among the most competitive in finance.

Internships can pay over $5,000 a week. Salaries for entry-level analysts and software engineers are often in the six-figure range. Portfolio managers with winning strategies can take home tens of millions.

Business Insider spoke with top hedge fund managers like Citadel, Millennium, and Point72 about how they attract and evaluate talent, and what advice they'd give to anyone hoping to break in.

Here's everything we know about getting a job at a large hedge fund.

Internships

Years ago, the opaque and secretive world of hedge funds might not have been an obvious career choice for most college graduates on their path to Wall Street. However, these investing behemoths are now investing in getting young, diverse wunderkinder, especially mathletes, familiar with their brands as early as high school.

Internships are another talent pipeline for some of the biggest multi-strategy hedge funds, which employ armies of traders and engineers. Programs can be uber-competitive and harder to get into than many top Ivy League schools.

Citadel's summer internship program, for example, has become increasingly competitive. This year, the hedge fund accepted around 300 interns to spend 11 weeks at Griffin's hedge fund or his market maker, working with stock-pickers, quants, engineers, and more. The firm told BI that there were more than 108,000 applicants for the programs, with an acceptance rate of roughly 0.4%.

• Here's how to land a spot at Citadel's summer internship
• Citadel's associate program is a separate internship that puts rising college seniors on track to land a full-time investing role at the $66 billion fund.
• Ken Griffin's advice to interns: Hustle during your 20s and be aggressive when asking for a promotion

We also spoke to Point72 and D.E. Shaw about what they looked for in interns and how to stand out for a potential job offer down the line.

• Here's what it takes to stand out as an intern at Steve Cohen's Point72 and land a job offer
• A D.E. Shaw internship could land a dream gig at the secretive hedge fund. Here's what it takes.

Analyst and investment training programs

In the past, hedge funds acquired investment talent from investment banks. Increasingly, however, the industry's top players are recruiting college students through intensive training programs that can lead to jobs straight out of college.

Creating a pipeline of portfolio managers has been an increasingly popular strategy for hedge funds locked in an increasingly expensive battle for top talent.

• How to get accepted into Point72's ultra-elite analyst training program, whose acceptance rate is less than 1%
• Inside Point72's PM incubator LaunchPoint, where Steve Cohen is known to grill up-and-comers who think they're ready for the big time
• Inside Balyasny's Anthem training program, where aspiring portfolio managers are handed hundreds of millions of dollars to prove they can cut it
• Behind the training programs at Balyasny, which is looking to get ahead in the war for investment talent

Tech jobs and training programs

Hedge funds have long been competing with the finance industry and top tech companies for top technologists. Engineers and algorithm developers are key to helping researchers, data scientists, and traders develop cutting-edge investment strategies and platforms. Quant shop D.E. Shaw also has a unique approach to finding talent.

• Inside Citadel's exclusive engineering program that's helped the hedge fund snap up talent from Google and Goldman Sachs
• Here's how to get a tech job at Millennium, from the programming language to know to the interview questions to prep for

Inside Man Group's popular training program for non-tech employees that teaches them skills to automate tasks and reduce errors in their work

A rundown of some of the gatekeepers to know

The "business development" role is one of the most important at hedge funds, as it specializes in scouting and evaluating investment hires. Knowing these in-house talent scouts and external recruiters is crucial.

• The rise of the hedge-fund talent whisperers
• The talent brokers of quant trading: The headhunters at the forefront of Wall Street's systematic-trading and data-science hiring frenzy
• Try our searchable database of more than 350 Wall Street headhunters to find your dream job in private equity, investment banking, or hedge funds

Other resources and advice

Here's a look at how some firms find and vet new employees, what skills and qualities they're looking for …

• Why quant giant D.E. Shaw seeks out academics, doctors, and veterans to work at the hedge fund
• Citadel portfolio manager explains how he rose in the ranks of the hedge fund and what he looks for in a new hire
• Inside the 5-hour psychological interview that can make or break your career at Citadel, Blackstone, and other finance titans

• Inside the spycraft hedge funds use to vet multimillion-dollar traders, which is edging into murky legal territory

The bet365 bonus code WEEK365 will give new users a $150 bonus for Sunday baseball and the USA-Mexico Gold Cup Final.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love has been sent a strong message before the 2025 season.

The search continues for dozens of girls missing from a camp.