Investments
164Portfolio Exits
46About Marc Benioff
Marc Benioff is an angel investor and Chairman and CEO of enterprise cloud computing company, Salesforce.com. He was appointed by President George W. Bush as the co-chairman of the President's Information Technology Advisory Committee and served from 2003-2005, overseeing the publishing of critical reports on health care information technology, cybersecurity, and computational sciences. Benioff is also the author of three books, most recently the national best seller Behind the Cloud. Prior to launching salesforce.com, Benioff spent 13 years at Oracle Corporation and worked as an assembly language programmer in Apple Computer's Macintosh Division. He founded entertainment software company Liberty Software in 1979 when he was 15 years old. Benioff received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Southern California in 1986.

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CB Insights Intelligence Analysts have mentioned Marc Benioff in 2 CB Insights research briefs, most recently on Nov 10, 2021.


Mar 17, 2021 report
How The Traditional Venture Capital Pipeline Is ChangingLatest Marc Benioff News
Sep 22, 2023
I help leaders get results by demystifying drivers of success. Got it! getty This article caps off our three-part series on what corporations can learn by taking notes from non-profits and their approach to purpose and impact. In the previous two installments, we explored the importance of leading with purpose and we analyzed how companies like Patagonia and Ben & Jerry's successfully weave that purpose into their very core. In our final article, we'll examine one of the more interesting interplays between the private and non-profit sector that has gained momentum in recent years: the rise of the philanthropist CEO. More particularly, we'll assess how the CEOs of Salesforce, Chobani and the Virgin Group are doing good by simply being good at what they do. Marc Benioff on stage. Marc Benioff: Driving Purpose at Salesforce's Helm Salesforce, the global leader in customer relationship management, is not just recognized for its innovative cloud-based solutions. In fact, under the guidance of its CEO, Marc Benioff, the company is quickly becoming a beacon for corporate philanthropy. Benioff took a page from the non-profit playbook when he championed the 1-1-1 model at Salesforce, a commitment that earmarks 1% of the company's equity, 1% of its product, and 1% of employees' time for charitable endeavors. MORE FOR YOU To date, the initiative has catalyzed hundreds of millions in grants and spurred employees to contribute over millions of hours to community service. But his dedication to societal change doesn't end at corporate initiatives. In addition, Benioff is at the forefront of corporate activism, using his influential platform to advocate for pressing social issues and putting his money where his mission is, including generous donations to children’s hospitals and more. The overarching lesson for other firms is simple. Embedding philanthropy into the core of your business strategy, as exemplified by Salesforce's 1-1-1 model, transforms charitable endeavors from sporadic gestures into institutionalized programs which magnify impact and underscoring genuine commitment. Hamdi Ulukaya, founder of Chobani, speaks at the Obama Foundation Summit in Chicago. AFP via Getty Images Hamdi Ulukaya: A Yogurt Titan's Commitment to Humanity Chobani, renowned for its velvety Greek yogurt, also stands as a testament to the deep-seated commitment to social responsibility of its founder, Hamdi Ulukaya. Since the company's inception, Ulukaya's vision transcended profit; he sought to impact communities positively. In his pledge letter to The Giving Pledge Ulukaya notes that since day one, Chobani has given 10% of its profits to charity through the Chobani Foundation. Not one to stop when on a roll, Ulukaya followed his pledge by making the truly groundbreaking gesture of allocating 10% of Chobani's equity to the very people who helped build his dream: his employees. What's more, Ulukaya's philanthropic efforts aren't limited to Chobani's confines. With the creation of the Tent Partnership for Refugees, he's rallied the private sector to support refugees worldwide, improving their lives and offering them opportunities. For businesses taking note, Ulukaya's journey demonstrates that by acknowledging employee contributions and extending a company’s reach beyond immediate communities, it's possible to construct a brand that doesn't just sell — it inspires and connects. Sir Richard Branson visits "Cavuto" On FOX Business Network at FOX Studios on September 23, 2014 in ... [+] New York City. Getty Images Richard Branson - Virgin Group Sir Richard Branson, the maverick entrepreneur behind the Virgin Group is known for his drive to intertwine purpose and profit just as he is for his success in virtually any endeavor he takes up. Virgin, a brand that spans industries from music to space travel, has always demonstrated an appetite for change and innovation. Branson, in line with his characteristically bold approach, has been at the forefront of corporate social responsibility. A signatory of The Giving Pledge , he has committed to donating the majority of his wealth to philanthropic causes. Most importantly, this ethos trickles down to the very operations of his plethora of companies. Virgin Atlantic, for instance, has been a trailblazer in researching and pushing for sustainable aviation fuels to combat the environmental impact of air travel. Beyond the operations of the Virgin Group, Branson founded the Virgin Unite foundation, which endeavors to unite people and entrepreneurial ideas to create opportunities for a better world. For businesses aiming to craft a legacy beyond revenues, Branson’s trajectory offers a clear lesson: when innovation meets purpose, not only can one revolutionize industries, but one can also effect meaningful, lasting change. And there you have it; the conclusion to our series on how corporations can adopt the non-profit playbook and start building their mission upon purpose and impact. You can find links to the earlier articles below, and good luck to all who are embarking on the uniquely rewarding adventure of tying together people, profit and planet. Part 1
Marc Benioff Investments
164 Investments
Marc Benioff has made 164 investments. Their latest investment was in Warp as part of their Series B on June 6, 2023.

Marc Benioff Investments Activity

Date | Round | Company | Amount | New? | Co-Investors | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6/22/2023 | Series B | Warp | $50M | No | BoxGroup, Dylan Field, Google Ventures, Jeff Weiner, Marc Benioff, Neo, Sam Altman, Sequoia Capital, Tobi Lutke, and Undisclosed Angel Investors | 2 |
3/21/2023 | Seed VC | ArteraAI | $90M | Yes | 7 | |
3/7/2023 | Series A | Kresus | $25M | Yes | 2 | |
2/28/2023 | Pre-Seed | |||||
4/21/2022 | Series E |
Date | 6/22/2023 | 3/21/2023 | 3/7/2023 | 2/28/2023 | 4/21/2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Round | Series B | Seed VC | Series A | Pre-Seed | Series E |
Company | Warp | ArteraAI | Kresus | ||
Amount | $50M | $90M | $25M | ||
New? | No | Yes | Yes | ||
Co-Investors | BoxGroup, Dylan Field, Google Ventures, Jeff Weiner, Marc Benioff, Neo, Sam Altman, Sequoia Capital, Tobi Lutke, and Undisclosed Angel Investors | ||||
Sources | 2 | 7 | 2 |
Marc Benioff Portfolio Exits
46 Portfolio Exits
Marc Benioff has 46 portfolio exits. Their latest portfolio exit was Yubico on September 20, 2023.
Date | Exit | Companies | Valuation Valuations are submitted by companies, mined from state filings or news, provided by VentureSource, or based on a comparables valuation model. | Acquirer | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
9/20/2023 | Reverse Merger | 5 | |||
6/6/2023 | Acquired | 5 | |||
8/31/2022 | Acquired | 5 | |||
Marc Benioff Acquisitions
1 Acquisition
Marc Benioff acquired 1 company. Their latest acquisition was Time Magazine on September 17, 2018.
Date | Investment Stage | Companies | Valuation Valuations are submitted by companies, mined from state filings or news, provided by VentureSource, or based on a comparables valuation model. | Total Funding | Note | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
9/17/2018 | Acquired Unit | 29 |
Date | 9/17/2018 |
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Investment Stage | |
Companies | |
Valuation | |
Total Funding | |
Note | Acquired Unit |
Sources | 29 |