Hi, I am Ron Conway. If you have never heard about me, today you will. Below are links from Forbes and Business Insider about me.
www.forbes.com/profile/ron-conway/?sh=778ebef67ac5
www.businessinsider.com/giving-pledge-new-signatories-ron-conway-zillow-billionaires-2020-12
I’ve spent the better part of nearly 50 years working and investing in tech companies, supporting extremely talented and dedicated founders, for which I am very proud and grateful. These founders are to be commended for their successes: creating a large number of jobs, and technologies that we use every day to make life and work more productive, and our world more connected.
Success is not just what you build, it’s how you give back.
After my first company, Altos Computer Systems, went public in 1982, Gayle and I became co-founders of the Altos Foundation, which pioneered support for domestic violence shelters and preventative efforts. We also began donating locally, initially to our kids’ schools, and then to Bay Area children’s hospitals.
SV Angel was fortunate to be an early investor in Google. The day our Google investment first became liquid, half went directly to charitable commitments -- not to a personal foundation or donor advised fund sitting on investments for years, waiting for direction. As my successes grew, my charitable commitments have grown and today.
As I have grown older in age, I decided that rather than give money to many worthy charities, I challenged myself to create an organization that actually delivers results. The same skills I used to create highly effective companies would be required for this next chapter of my life.
My personal inspiration has been Chuck Feeney, one of the most impactful business leaders of the past century. After building his business, Chuck, co-founder of Duty Free Shoppers, founded Atlantic Philanthropies and gave away 99% of his over $8B fortune over 40 years.
Chuck, is the blueprint for a successful technology founder to become a “never-billionaire.”
The purpose of this long boring letter to you is very straightforward, Going forward, I decided my philanthropy will be more direct, I have directed $500 Million towards this cause, I intend on contacting lucky individuals using their email address and giving them money.
I am a tech guy and this is the way I see philanthropy trending. Every email address ever opened belongs to somebody somewhere in the world, You have received this email now you are part of my journey.
Provide your name and address and I will contact you again on how you will be paid.
I am a proud “never-billionaire.” I continue to pursue high growth investments with SV Angel and I will be directing nearly all future gains directly to philanthropy.
Ron Conway
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