Reid Garrett Hoffman (born August 5, 1967) is an American Internet entrepreneur, venture capitalist, podcaster, and author. He is best known as the co-founder of LinkedIn, a business-oriented social network used primarily for professional networking, where he served as executive chairman. Hoffman is also a partner at the venture capital firm Greylock Partners, chairman of Village Global, and a co-founder of the artificial intelligence companies Inflection AI and Manas AI. As of May 2026, Forbes estimated his net worth at $2.7 billion.
Hoffman has been an influential figure in political and technological circles. He has been a member of the Bilderberg Group since at least 2011 and the Council on Foreign Relations since 2015, and has been a vocal proponent of democratic institutions and humanism in technological innovation.
Early life and education
Hoffman was born in Palo Alto, California, on August 5, 1967. His parents, both attorneys, divorced when he was a year old. As a child, he was an avid table-top role-playing gamer and worked as an editor at the game company Chaosium, then based in Oakland, California. Hoffman attended the Putney School, a progressive high school in Vermont, where he engaged in farming activities.
He graduated from Stanford University in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science in symbolic systems and cognitive science. Awarded a Marshall Scholarship, he earned a Master of Studies in philosophy from Wolfson College, Oxford, in 1993. His paternal great-great-great-grandfather was Theophilus Adam Wylie, a Presbyterian minister and Indiana University president pro tempore, and his uncle, Eric Hoffman, is a writer.
Early career and PayPal
Hoffman joined Apple Computer in 1994, where he worked on eWorld, an early online service that AOL acquired in 1996. He later worked at Fujitsu before co-founding his first company, SocialNet.com, in 1997, which focused on online dating and connecting people with similar interests. In January 2000, he left SocialNet to join PayPal full-time as its chief operating officer, having earlier served on its board. He became senior vice president of business development in June 2000.
LinkedIn and venture capital
Hoffman co-founded LinkedIn in December 2002 with colleagues including Allen Blue, and the service launched on May 5, 2003, as one of the first business-oriented social networks. Investor Peter Thiel, a colleague from PayPal, backed the company. At LinkedIn's initial public offering on May 19, 2011, Hoffman's stake was valued at an estimated $2.34 billion. He had been named a partner at Greylock Partners in 2009. Microsoft proposed to acquire LinkedIn on June 13, 2016, for $26.2 billion in cash, and Hoffman joined the Microsoft board on March 14, 2017.
Hoffman graduated from Stanford University in 1990 and later studied philosophy at Oxford University as a Marshall Scholar. He worked at Apple Computer on the early online service eWorld before founding SocialNet.com in the late 1990s, a precursor to social networking.
Artificial intelligence investments
In 2016, Hoffman was among the first donors to OpenAI, a non-profit AI research organization co-founded by Sam Altman and Elon Musk. After Musk left the board in February 2018, OpenAI faced funding shortfalls. Hoffman helped broker a transition to a capped-profit model, leading an investment through his family foundation and joining the board. He resigned from OpenAI's board in March 2023 to avoid conflicts with his broader AI investing activities.
In March 2022, Hoffman co-founded Inflection AI with Mustafa Suleyman, a co-founder of DeepMind. The company focused on building large language models and conversational AI. In March 2024, Microsoft licensed Inflection's technology and hired Suleyman and most of its 70 employees in a deal reported at roughly $650 million. Inflection subsequently shifted its focus to enterprise AI solutions under new CEO Sean White. In September 2024, the UK Competition and Markets Authority cleared the arrangement.
In January 2025, Hoffman launched Manas AI, an AI-enabled drug discovery company, with cancer researcher Siddhartha Mukherjee, securing about $25 million in initial funding. Earlier, in 2024, Hoffman created a digital twin of himself using OpenAI's GPT-4 and over 20 years of his own books and public talks, appearing in a widely publicized self-interview to demonstrate the technology's potential.
Career before artificial intelligence
Hoffman joined Apple Computer in 1994, where he worked on eWorld, an early online service that Apple sold in 1996. He subsequently worked at Fujitsu before co-founding his first company, SocialNet.com, in 1997, which focused on online dating and matching people with similar interests.
In December 2002, Hoffman co-founded LinkedIn with former colleagues. The platform launched on May 5, 2003, as one of the first business-oriented social networks. Peter Thiel, a colleague from PayPal, invested in the company. At LinkedIn's initial public offering on May 19, 2011, Hoffman's stake was estimated at $2.34 billion, excluding potential gains from his partnership at Greylock, which he joined in 2009. Microsoft proposed to acquire LinkedIn on June 13, 2016, for $26.2 billion in cash; the deal closed later that year. Hoffman joined Microsoft's board of directors on March 14, 2017.
OpenAI and investments
In 2016, Hoffman was among the early donors to OpenAI, a nonprofit research organization founded by Sam Altman, Elon Musk, and others. In February 2018, Musk left the board citing conflicts with Tesla's AI work. Facing funding shortfalls, OpenAI established a for-profit subsidiary to attract investment; Hoffman led investment in this entity through his family foundation and joined its board. He resigned from the OpenAI board on March 3, 2023, citing potential conflicts of interest with his work at Greylock and Inflection AI.
Through Greylock Partners, Hoffman has invested in numerous AI companies. By May 2023, the firm had backed at least 37 AI startups, including Tome, a productivity software company that reported reaching one million users quickly. Hoffman has publicly opposed moratoriums on advanced AI development, describing such pauses as anti-humanist, and instead advocates for accelerated development to address societal problems such as health care and education.
Additional ventures and political engagement
Hoffman is the host of the podcast Masters of Scale and has authored books on entrepreneurship and strategy. He has been an active political donor, supporting Democratic campaigns and organizations. He also serves as chairman of the venture capital firm Village Global.
Personal life and recognition
Hoffman has been a vocal proponent of democratic institutions and has contributed to various political causes. He has been a member of the Council on Foreign Relations since 2011 and the Bilderberg Group since at least that time. In 2020, he co-founded the podcast "Possible" with Aria Finger. Hoffman has published several books, including "The Start-up of You" and "Blitzscaling," which are used in entrepreneurship education. He is married to Michelle Yuen, and they have one daughter.
External recognition and views
In 2022, Hoffman received an honorary doctorate from Northeastern University. He has actively funded AI research and startups through Greylock and his philanthropic foundation. Hoffman has defended the rapid development of advanced AI, dismissing calls to slow progress as misguided the idea that such technologies should be halted, instead arguing for their potential to improve health care and education. He is also a board member at the Arc Institute and serves on the boards of several technology companies, including Microsoft and the nonprofit OpenAI.
Manas AI and later ventures
In January 2025, Hoffman co-founded Manas AI with oncologist Siddhartha Mukherjee, aiming to apply deep learning techniques to accelerate drug discovery. The startup raised approximately $25 million initially. Hoffman has also invested in a range of other AI-focused companies, including an early stake in the productivity software firm Tome and the legal technology platform Halcyon. He has described his investment strategy as focusing on founders who combine technical skill with a clear vision for improving human life.
Hoffman's broader portfolio as a venture capitalist includes investments in numerous technology companies through his roles at Greylock Partners and as an angel investor. He has written several books, including "The Start-up of You" and