Michael Moritz

About

Sir Michael Moritz is a prominent Welsh-born venture capitalist, author, and philanthropist, best known for his highly successful tenure at Sequoia Capital. Born in Cardiff, Wales, Moritz studied history at Christ Church, Oxford, before moving to the United States to attend the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He began his career as a journalist, working for Time magazine, where he famously authored The Little Kingdom, one of the first books about Apple Inc. Moritz joined Sequoia Capital in 1986, transitioning from journalism to venture capital. Over the next nearly four decades, he became one of the industry's most legendary investors, leading Sequoia's early investments in tech giants that reshaped the modern world, including Google, Yahoo!, PayPal, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Stripe. His investment in Google, where he served on the board of directors for years, remains one of the most lucrative venture capital deals in history. In 2023, Moritz stepped down from his role at Sequoia Capital after 38 years to focus on Sequoia Heritage, a wealth management fund he co-founded. Beyond investing, Moritz is a dedicated philanthropist. Alongside his wife, Harriet Heyman, he has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to educational and cultural institutions, including the University of Oxford, UC San Francisco, and the Juilliard School, primarily through their foundation, Crankstart. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2013 for his services to promoting British economic interests and philanthropic work. Today, Moritz continues his philanthropic endeavors and writing from his home in San Francisco, California.

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