- Reid Hoffman evolved from philosophy student to tech visionary
- He co-founded LinkedIn and became a prominent investor
- Hoffman now focuses on AI and public intellectual pursuits
From Dungeons to Dollars
Reid Hoffman, the billionaire co-founder of LinkedIn and Inflection AI, has had a fascinating career trajectory.
Born in Palo Alto, Hoffman’s early love for strategy games like Dungeons & Dragons laid the foundation for his future success. After studying Symbolic Systems at Stanford and Philosophy at Oxford, Hoffman’s path led him to Silicon Valley’s tech scene.
PayPal Mafia to LinkedIn Launch
Hoffman’s career took off when he joined PayPal in 2000, becoming part of the infamous “PayPal Mafia.” Following PayPal’s acquisition by eBay, Hoffman leveraged his experience to found LinkedIn in 2002.
The professional networking platform went public in 2011 and was later acquired by Microsoft for $26.2 billion in 2016.
Venture Capitalist and AI Advocate
Beyond LinkedIn, Hoffman has become a prominent venture capitalist and thought leader in the tech industry.
He joined Greylock Partners in 2009, making successful investments in companies like Airbnb. Recently, Hoffman co-founded Inflection AI, further cementing his role in shaping the future of technology and artificial intelligence.
