Naval Ravikant (born November 5, 1974) is an Indian-born American entrepreneur and investor. He is the co-founder and chairman of AngelList, a platform connecting startups, investors, and job seekers. Ravikant is also a prolific angel investor, having made early-stage investments in companies including Uber, Twitter, Postmates, and Yammer. He is a recipient of the Edmund Hillary Fellowship and co-hosts a podcast with Brett Hall.
Ravikant has become a widely cited figure in technology and entrepreneurship circles, known for his commentary on wealth creation, long-term thinking, and the role of artificial intelligence in shaping future industries. His influence extends through his podcast, social media presence, and curated writings, which have been compiled into a popular book.
Early life and education
Ravikant was born in New Delhi, India, in 1974. At age 9, he moved to New York City with his mother and his brother, Kamal. He attended Stuyvesant High School, graduating in 1991. In 1995, he graduated from Dartmouth College with degrees in computer science and economics. During college, he interned at the law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell.
Career beginnings and Epinions
After graduating, Ravikant briefly worked at Boston Consulting Group before relocating to Silicon Valley. In 1999, he co-founded the consumer product review site Epinions. The company raised $45 million in venture capital from firms including Benchmark Capital and August Capital. In 2003, Epinions merged with the comparison pricing site Dealtime to become Shopping.com, which held an initial public offering in October 2004.
In January 2005, Ravikant and three co-founders filed a lawsuit against Benchmark Capital, August Capital, and co-founder Nirav Tolia, alleging they were misled into approving the merger under the pretense that the company was worth less than the capital raised, making their shares worthless. The lawsuit was settled in December 2005.
AngelList and venture investing
Around 2007, Ravikant started a $20 million early-stage venture capital fund named The Hit Forge. The fund invested in startups including Twitter, Uber, and Stack Overflow. In 2007, he began co-writing a blog called Venture Hacks, which offered detailed advice on negotiating term sheets. That blog evolved into AngelList, which Ravikant co-founded in 2010 as a platform for startups to connect with angel investors. AngelList also operates the product discovery platform Product Hunt. In 2022, AngelList Venture raised funds at a $4 billion valuation.
In 2014, Ravikant co-founded MetaStable Capital, a cryptocurrency hedge fund. A June 2017 regulatory filing reported the fund's assets as $69 million, with investors including Andreessen Horowitz and Sequoia Capital. In 2017, he launched Spearhead, an investment fund that provides capital to founders to enable them to invest in technology startups as angel investors. The fund's third cohort raised $100 million for 15 founders. Companies backed by Spearhead founders include Neuralink, Opendoor, and Rippling.
Media, writing, and recent ventures
Ravikant hosts a podcast, Nav.al, where he discusses topics including philosophy and investing. He has also been a guest on podcasts such as The Joe Rogan Experience and The Tim Ferriss Show. With Ravikant's permission, Eric Jorgenson curated his tweets, essays, and interviews into a book titled The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and Happiness.
In 2023, Ravikant co-founded Airchat, a social media application that uses voice notes and AI-powered transcription. This venture reflects his growing interest in generative AI applications. In 2026, Forbes named Ravikant to its "Self-Made 250" list.
Influence and investment philosophy
Ravikant is known for his investment thesis that emphasizes founder-led companies and network effects. His early bets on machine learning and related technologies have positioned him as a notable investor in the AI space, though his portfolio spans diverse sectors. He frequently discusses the intersection of technology, large language models, and human productivity, arguing that AI tools will reshape knowledge work and entrepreneurship.
His public talks and writings often stress the importance of specific knowledge, leverage, and accountability in building wealth. Ravikant's approach to investing combines long-term holding with a willingness to back unconventional founders, a philosophy that has influenced a generation of startup advisors and angel investors.