Biz Stone Net Worth

What is Biz Stone's net worth and salary?

Biz Stone is an American entrepreneur, angel investor, and author who has a net worth of $250 million. Best known as a co-founder of Twitter, Biz Stone has established himself as a visionary in social media and technology innovation. Beyond Twitter, he co-founded and launched ventures including Medium, Jelly, and Obvious Corporation, demonstrating his commitment to creating platforms that facilitate human connection and information sharing. A recipient of numerous accolades, including TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World, Stone combines technological innovation with humanitarian values, advocating for corporate social responsibility and leveraging technology for positive social impact throughout his career.

Early Life and Education

Christopher Isaac "Biz" Stone was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1974. He grew up in Wellesley, Massachusetts. His childhood was modest, raised primarily by his mother after his parents divorced. Stone developed an early interest in art and design, which would later influence his approach to technology and entrepreneurship.

After graduating from high school, Stone attended Northeastern University for one year before transferring to the University of Massachusetts Boston. Though he never completed his degree, choosing instead to pursue opportunities in the tech industry, Stone has often credited his partial college experience with helping shape his creative thinking.

Early Career

Stone's professional journey began at the publishing company Little, Brown and Company. In the late 1990s, as the internet was gaining popularity, he moved to Silicon Valley to join the web startup Xanga, an early blogging platform. This experience proved formative, introducing Stone to the potential of social publishing and online communities.

In 2003, Stone's career took a significant turn when he met Evan Williams, who had recently sold Blogger to Google. Stone joined Google alongside Williams, where they worked together refining Blogger, one of the earliest mainstream blogging platforms. This collaboration would set the stage for their future ventures together.

The Twitter Revolution

In 2006, Stone, along with Jack Dorsey and Evan Williams, co-founded Twitter, originally conceived as a simple platform for sharing status updates. Stone's contributions to Twitter went beyond technical development; he helped shape the company's distinctive culture and brand identity. His background in design and publishing proved valuable in creating a user experience that was both accessible and engaging.

Under Stone's guidance as Creative Director, Twitter evolved from a niche service to a global communication phenomenon. He helped establish crucial features like the 140-character limit (later expanded to 280), the use of the @ symbol for mentions, and the hashtag system for organizing topics. During this period, Stone became the public face of Twitter, appearing frequently in media interviews and public events.

Stone remained actively involved with Twitter until 2011, helping to guide the platform through its explosive growth phase and establishing its role in global events ranging from natural disasters to political movements.

Entrepreneurial Ventures Beyond Twitter

After departing from his daily role at Twitter, Stone continued his entrepreneurial journey. In 2011, he reunited with Evan Williams to restart The Obvious Corporation, an innovation lab and investment vehicle for developing new ideas.

In 2012, Stone and Williams launched Medium, a long-form publishing platform designed to provide more depth than Twitter's brief messages. Medium has since evolved into a significant platform for thoughtful writing and commentary across numerous topics.

Stone also founded Jelly Industries in 2013, creating a question-and-answer search engine that was eventually acquired by Pinterest in 2017. This venture reflected his continuing interest in how people share and access information online.

Other ventures include the development of Chroma, a search engine focused on color, and investments in various startups through Obvious Ventures, which focuses on companies that combine profit with positive social impact.

Throughout his career, Stone has maintained a strong commitment to social responsibility. He has been actively involved with numerous charitable organizations and has used his platform to advocate for causes including education, environmentalism, animal welfare, and poverty alleviation. Biz and his wife Livia manage their philanthropy through their foundation, the Biz and Livia Stone Foundation.

In 2013, Stone published "Things a Little Bird Told Me," a memoir reflecting on his experiences and sharing his philosophy on creativity, opportunity, and making a positive difference. The book encapsulates Stone's approach to business: that successful enterprises should generate both profit and social good.

Stone has served on the board of directors for various organizations, including Polaroid and Beyond Meat, a plant-based meat substitute company aligned with his vegetarian values and concerns about environmental sustainability.

Personal Life

Biz and his wife Livia have been married since 2007. They have a son named Jacob. They live in Marin County, California.