Company name
2022Founder
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Sam Altman
Sam Altman is co-founder and CEO of OpenAI. He previously served as president of Y Combinator and co-founded Loopt, the mobile location-services company acquired by Green Dot. He is also co-founder and chairman of Tools for Humanity, a co-founder of the World project, and a co-founder of Merge Labs in a personal capacity. His startup and investment work spans artificial intelligence, energy and biotechnology. He attended Stanford before leaving to build Loopt. They are an alum of BASES, Stanford’s student entrepreneurship organization. They gave a keynote at TreeHacks 2026.
OpenAI
Nov 2023 — Present
Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer
Co-founded OpenAI in 2015; first became CEO in March 2019 and returned in November 2023.
Tools for Humanity
2019 — Present
Co-founder and Chairman
Co-founded Tools for Humanity in 2019 and currently serves as chairman.
Merge Labs
Until PresentCo-founder
Co-founded the brain-computer-interface research lab in a personal capacity; publicly launched in January 2026.
OpenResearch
Until PresentBoard Member
Serves on the board of the independent public-interest research organization formerly called YC Research.
Helion
Until Mar 2026
Executive Chairman
Served as executive chairman following earlier board service beginning in 2015.
Oklo
May 2024 — Apr 2025
Chairman of the Board
Chaired public Oklo after the business combination. Previously served as CEO and director of the same public entity under its AltC name from July 2021 to May 2024, and chaired Legacy Oklo from October 2015 to May 2024.
Expedia Group
Sep 2019 — Jun 2023
Board Member
Served on Expedia Group’s board of directors.
Bridgetown 2 Holdings Limited
Jan 2021 — Mar 2022Board Member
Served on the special-purpose acquisition company’s board.
Y Combinator
2014 — 2019
President
Led Y Combinator through a major expansion of its founder community and early-stage startup program.
Green Dot Corporation
Mar 2013 — Apr 2016Board Member
Served on the board after senior roles following Green Dot’s acquisition of Loopt.
Loopt
2005 — Mar 2012Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer
Co-founded and led the mobile location-services company until its acquisition by Green Dot.
Stanford University
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Undergraduate studies; left without completing
John Burroughs School
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