Identity Card
Name: Reid Garrett Hoffman
Role: Entrepreneur, venture capitalist, author, and podcaster
Company: Greylock Partners and Manas AI; co‑founder of LinkedIn; director at Microsoft
Links: LinkedIn, Corporate website, Microsoft executive bio, Masters of Scale, Possible
Career Timeline
- Manas AI: Co‑Founder and Board Chair: 2025‑01‑27–Present: Launched AI‑driven drug discovery company with 24.6 million USD seed and Azure partnership. CNBC 2025‑02‑02; Manas AI 2025‑01‑27
- Inflection AI: Co‑Founder and Board Member: 2022–Present: 650 million USD Microsoft licensing and talent move; refocus on enterprise AI. Reuters 2024‑03‑21
- Microsoft: Independent Director: 2017‑03–Present: Joined board after LinkedIn acquisition closed. Microsoft bio 2017–2025
- Village Global: Chairman: 2017‑08–Present: Network‑native seed firm with Fund III of 250 million USD. Village Global 2023‑11
- Greylock Partners: Partner: 2009–Present: Early‑stage investor in networks, marketplaces, and AI. Greylock 2024–2025
- LinkedIn: Co‑Founder, Founding CEO, Executive Chairman: 2002–2016: Launched 2003‑05‑05; acquisition announced 2016‑06‑13 at 26.2 billion USD. Microsoft blog 2016‑06‑13
- PayPal: EVP then SVP Business Development: 2000–2002: Senior executive during hypergrowth phase pre‑acquisition. Wikipedia 2025
- SocialNet.com and Product roles at Apple and Fujitsu: 1994–2000: Early online services and first startup. Wikipedia 2025
Business Context
Industry / HQ / Stage / Financing: Manas AI – AI drug discovery; New York City; Seed stage; 24.6 million USD seed co‑led by General Catalyst and Reid Hoffman. Manas AI 2025‑01‑27; CNBC 2025‑02‑02
Recent Activity & Flags
Last 90 days:
- Discussed multi‑agent AI workflow and tool subscriptions in media. Business Insider 2025‑09‑20
- Active thought leadership via Possible podcast episodes on AI’s impact. IHeart 2025‑09
- Ongoing board work and portfolio engagement highlighted through public posts and events. Masters of Scale 2025‑08
Contradictions / Dissolved entities / Sanctions: Birthplace reported as Palo Alto vs Stanford across sources. Wikipedia en, Wikipedia de/es. No matches on sanctions disclosed here.
Questions to Ask
- What are the first proof points you expect from Manas AI that would validate a step‑change in cancer drug discovery timelines?
- How do you decide when an AI initiative should prioritize speed of deployment over model accuracy, and what gates prevent harmful outcomes?
- What are the most leveraged ways non‑AI‑native enterprises can become AI‑forward in the next 12 months, and where do you see the fastest ROI?
Optional: Hooks / Talking Points
- Network effects and scale: Show how your solution compounds value as adoption grows.
- AI as a force multiplier: Frame a pilot that reduces cycle time or cost with measurable, near‑term wins.
- Talent and partnerships: Propose a path to distribution and co‑development with credible partners to accelerate learning and trust.