Vinod Khosla

Who they are

Vinod Khosla co-founded Sun Microsystems in the 1980s and then became one of Silicon Valley's best-known venture capitalists. He invested early in OpenAI, which makes him one of the few voices to have watched the current AI wave rise from the inside. He has also been one of the largest backers of clean energy for twenty years.

Why it matters to investors

Khosla speaks rarely but thinks in decades. His subjects, artificial intelligence and the energy transition, are precisely the two themes that will drive the largest capital flows in the coming years. His predictions are blunt and often uncomfortable, including for the industry he is part of.

Career

1. 1980

   Earns an MBA at Stanford after an engineering degree in India.

2. 1982

   Co-founds Sun Microsystems and becomes its first CEO.

3. 1986

   Becomes a partner at venture firm Kleiner Perkins.

4. 2004

   Founds Khosla Ventures, focused on technology with large societal impact.

5. 2019

   Invests early in OpenAI, well before generative AI breaks through.

What they talk about

• Artificial intelligence and the labour market
• Clean energy and fusion
• Healthcare and biotechnology
• Venture capital and risk appetite
• The societal consequences of technology

Notable quotes

Quotes still to be added. Only add them together with a source and a date.

Follow directly

• Khosla Ventures