Reid Hoffman: Co-founder of LinkedIn & Billionaire Investor

Overview

Reid Hoffman is an American entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and author who co-founded the professional networking website, LinkedIn. With a net worth of $2.4 billion as of 2021, he is regarded as one of the most successful tech investors in Silicon Valley. Hoffman is also a partner at the venture capital firm, Greylock Partners, where he has backed companies such as Airbnb, Facebook, and Zipcar.

Early Life and Education

Reid Hoffman was born on August 5, 1967, in Stanford, California. He grew up in Berkeley, where his father was a lawyer and his mother worked as a social worker. As a child, Hoffman was fascinated by games and puzzles, which led him to develop an interest in computer programming.

Hoffman attended Stanford University, where he earned a degree in symbolic systems in 1990. He then went on to study at the University of Oxford, where he earned a master’s degree in philosophy.

Career and Achievements

After completing his education, Hoffman worked for several tech companies, including Apple and Fujitsu. In 1997, he co-founded his first company, SocialNet, which was an online dating website. Although the website didn’t gain much traction, it provided Hoffman with valuable experience in the tech industry.

In 2002, Hoffman co-founded LinkedIn, which quickly became one of the most popular professional networking sites on the internet. The site now has over 700 million members in more than 200 countries. Hoffman served as the company’s CEO from 2002 to 2009, and then as executive chairman until 2020.

In addition to his work with LinkedIn, Hoffman has also been a prolific investor in startups. Through his work with Greylock Partners, he has backed companies such as Zynga, Flickr, and Groupon.

Hoffman has also written several books, including “The Start-Up of You” and “Blitzscaling,” which offer advice and insights to entrepreneurs.

Personal Life

Hoffman is married to Michelle Yee, and the couple has two children. He is also an active philanthropist, supporting organizations such as Kiva, which provides microloans to entrepreneurs in developing countries.

Profile