Alexis Ohanian

Alexis Ohanian
Born	Alexis Kerry Ohanian (1983-04-24) April 24, 1983 Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, investor
Years active	2005–present
Known for	Co-founder of Reddit, Initialized Capital, Hipmunk, Breadpig; partner at Y Combinator
Notable work	Reddit, Initialized Capital, Hipmunk, Breadpig

Alexis Kerry Ohanian (; born April 24, 1983) is a prominent American entrepreneur and investor in the internet sector. He gained recognition as the co-founder and former executive chairman of the social networking platform Reddit, alongside partners Steve Huffman and Aaron Swartz. Beyond Reddit, Ohanian co-established the early-stage venture capital firm Initialized Capital, contributed to the creation of the travel search engine Hipmunk, and founded the socially driven enterprise Breadpig. Additionally, he served as a partner at the startup accelerator and investment firm Y Combinator.

Ohanian currently resides in Florida with his wife, former professional tennis champion Serena Williams, and their daughters, Alexis Olympia Ohanian and Adira River Ohanian.

As of , his estimated net worth stands at $150 million.

Early life and education

Ohanian's paternal grandparents were survivors of the Armenian Genocide. His mother, Anke, immigrated from Germany, and he was raised speaking German at home during his childhood. His father, Chris, worked as both a travel agent and pharmacy technician. Ohanian grew up as an only child.

He was born in Brooklyn, New York City, before his family relocated to a suburb in Maryland. To preserve his cultural heritage, his parents enrolled him in a summer camp sponsored by the AGBU. He completed his secondary education at Howard High School in Ellicott City, Maryland, where he also delivered the commencement address in 2001.

Although initially drawn to computer programming, Ohanian took the sole computer science course available at his high school but lost enthusiasm for the subject upon entering the University of Virginia. He ultimately pursued a double major in history and business commerce with a minor in German. Reflecting later, he acknowledged that continuing with computer science might have better complemented his technology-focused career.

Reddit (2005–2020)

Ohanian’s fascination with technology began during middle school when he used a 33.6k dial-up modem. Encouraged by his parents, he enrolled in programming classes and developed web skills through participation in online communities. His first personal computer was a 486 SX model, which enabled him to experiment extensively and build websites for nonprofit organizations during his teenage years.

Though initially contemplating a legal career, Ohanian abandoned an LSAT preparation course to pursue entrepreneurship instead. After earning degrees in commerce and history from the University of Virginia in 2005, he and college roommate Steve Huffman presented MyMobileMenu—a food ordering application—to Y Combinator. Despite being turned down initially, they were invited to submit another concept that evolved into Reddit—an online forum designed to become the "front page of the Internet."

Reddit was part of Y Combinator’s first summer batch in 2005 and was acquired by Condé Nast in 2006 for between $10 million and $20 million. Ohanian stayed on Reddit’s board and rejoined full-time with Huffman in July 2015 to lead the company after it became independent. He stepped away from day-to-day operations in February 2018 to concentrate on investment activities. On June 5, 2020, amid social justice movements, Ohanian resigned from Reddit’s board and requested that his seat be filled by a Black candidate; Michael Seibel was subsequently appointed to the position.

Additional endeavors (2007–present)

In 2007, Ohanian established Breadpig, an "uncorporation" dedicated to creating geek-themed products with profits directed to charitable causes; by 2012, he had stepped back from managing its day-to-day activities.

Following his departure from Reddit in 2010, Ohanian spent three months as a Kiva fellow in Yerevan, Armenia, where he engaged in microfinance work. That same year, he contributed to launching the travel search engine Hipmunk and took on an advisory role. In June 2010, he founded Das Kapital Capital, a firm specializing in startup investing, advisory services, and consulting.

Recognized by venture capital firm Y Combinator as the "Ambassador to the East," Ohanian mentored founders and applicants on the East Coast. He held both part-time and full-time partner positions before departing in 2016 to co-found the third fund of Initialized Capital with Garry Tan, successfully raising $115 million.

In July 2020, Ohanian led a predominantly female ownership group granted a new franchise in the National Women's Soccer League. The team, named Angel City FC, commenced competition in 2022. This majority-women ownership collective included 14 former U.S. women's national team athletes, Oscar-winning actress Natalie Portman, various celebrities, and Ohanian’s spouse, Serena Williams.

Ohanian resigned from his role as Managing Partner at Initialized in June 2020. One year later, he launched a new venture capital firm called "776," backed by $150 million in capital. In 2024, he introduced Athlos, an exclusive track and field event for women.

On May 14, 2025, Ohanian acquired a 10% ownership stake in Chelsea Women FC for £20 million and joined their board of directors.

Early-stage technology investments

Co-founding Initialized Capital in 2010, Ohanian helped oversee more than $500 million across three investment funds. The firm provided seed capital to startups including Instacart, Zenefits, Opendoor, and Cruise. In 2014, CB Insights ranked Ohanian as the top tech investor based on network centrality, highlighting his widespread influence and connections.

Through Initialized Capital, Ohanian invested $3 million in childcare startup Kinside in 2019 and contributed $4 million to Dispo (David's Disposable) in 2020. In April 2021, he spearheaded a $10 million Series A funding round for social platform pearpop, joined by $6 million from investors such as Bessemer Venture Partners, Sound Ventures, and notable celebrities.

Dismissal of Victoria Taylor

On July 2, 2015, Reddit terminated communications director Victoria Taylor, who managed celebrity interviews from the New York office. This action led volunteer moderators of the IAmA subreddit to make their forum private in protest of company decisions that increased their workload while diminishing operational efficiency. The following day, one moderator attributed Taylor’s dismissal to Ohanian; however, this claim received limited media coverage. Publications like Variety held interim CEO Ellen Pao responsible—a tenure marked by severe harassment that culminated in her resignation one week later.

Former CEO Yishan Wong later explained that Taylor’s firing was executed by "the CEO's boss," accusing Ohanian of deflecting blame. After Pao stepped down, Ohanian admitted involvement in changes affecting AMA/IAmA but stressed that he reported directly to Pao. In 2017, Pao criticized Ohanian for sidestepping accountability by attending Wimbledon shortly after Taylor’s removal.

Creative Contributions

Ohanian crafted distinctive mascots for his enterprises, including Reddit's extraterrestrial character "Snoo," the Breadpig mascot featuring a pig with bread wings, Hipmunk's chipmunk named "Chip," and the honey badger symbol for Initialized Capital.

In 2009, he delivered a presentation at TED centered on a whale known as Mister Splashy Pants.

Campaigning for an Open Internet

Between 2010 and 2011, Ohanian played a pivotal role in opposing the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the House and the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA) in the Senate. Leading a widespread online movement, he contributed significantly to the defeat of both legislative proposals. His efforts included direct communication with lawmakers, orchestrating nationwide protests against SOPA/PIPA on January 18, 2012, and addressing attendees at a New York rally organized by NY Tech Meetup.

In October 2012, alongside Reddit GM Erik Martin, Ohanian initiated the Internet 2012 Bus Tour, traveling from Denver to Danville, Kentucky to promote net neutrality during the presidential election debates. One event along this route inspired the idea of establishing a "National Geek Day" in Washington, D.C. For his influential advocacy that year, The Daily Dot recognized him as the leading activist of 2012, while Forbes honored him with the title "Mayor of the Internet."

Ohanian continued his activism by lobbying the FCC in May 2014 to uphold net neutrality principles. This campaign culminated in a significant phone-a-thon coordinated with the FCC and Congress on January 15, 2015.

Hijab Emoji Initiative

In early 2017, Ohanian partnered with teenager Rayouf Alhumedhi to advocate for the inclusion of a hijab emoji. He facilitated an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session for Alhumedhi on r/twoxchromosomes and publicly responded to detractors. On July 17, 2017, Apple officially introduced its version of the hijab emoji.

Crowdfunding Efforts

On December 10, 2012, Ohanian collaborated with Lester Chambers of The Chambers Brothers to launch a Kickstarter campaign aimed at producing an album titled "Lester's Time Has Come." As reported by Fast Company, Ohanian sought to showcase viable funding models for artists through platforms like Kickstarter. The initiative successfully raised over $61,000.

Two years later, Ohanian secured $12,244 on Tilt.com supporting the non-profit organization Black Girls Code. In May 2014, he initiated another Tilt.com campaign entitled "Save Net Neutrality: Billboard in FCC's Backyard," protesting against proposed FCC actions threatening net neutrality.

In April 2015, commemorating the centennial of the Armenian genocide, Ohanian visited villages in rural Armenia supported by the COAF.

Personal Background

Ohanian experienced personal loss when his mother, Anke, passed away from brain cancer in 2008.

On December 29, 2016, he became engaged to Olympic tennis champion Serena Williams. Their daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian, was born on September 1, 2017, in West Palm Beach, Florida. The couple wed on November 16, 2017, in New Orleans; notable attendees included Beyoncé, Anna Wintour, Kelly Rowland, and Kim Kardashian. Ohanian has expressed that observing Williams compete reshaped his perspective on success within his professional life. They gifted their daughter a doll named Qai Qai, which attracted considerable attention across social media platforms. In May 2023, Williams revealed her pregnancy with their second child ahead of the Met Gala, and their second daughter, Adira River, was born in August 2023.

On November 28, 2024, Ohanian underwent surgery to excise thyroid nodules as a precautionary step against cancer development.

Support for paternity leave

Following the arrival of his daughter, Ohanian became an outspoken proponent of paternity leave, recounting his own journey in the New York Times. He highlighted the critical need for paid family leave, particularly after his wife faced life-threatening complications during childbirth, which required him to dedicate several months to family care. In June 2019, he revealed intentions to advocate for federal paid family leave legislation on Capitol Hill, seeking to unite legislators and fathers from various political backgrounds to enact the policy.

Philanthropic efforts

Beginning in 2022, Ohanian has been backing climate-focused projects led by young innovators through the 776 Foundation Fellowship Program, inspired by the Thiel Fellowship. This initiative targets individuals aged 23 or younger, offering $100,000 over two years alongside mentorship and support designed to advance climate-related startups, research endeavors, or social campaigns. Each year, twenty fellows are chosen via a competitive selection process.

Recognitions and distinctions

Ohanian's contributions have earned him multiple accolades: a commemorative plaque at Waffle House marking a pivotal career moment; inclusion on Forbes' "30 Under 30" technology list in both 2011 and 2012; designation as a "champion of innovation" in Wired's 2013 anniversary edition; selection for Crain's "40 Under 40" in 2015; and acknowledgment among Fast Company's "Most Creative People in Business" in 2016.

He was invited to deliver commencement speeches at Johns Hopkins University in 2020 and the University of Virginia in 2021. Additionally, Money magazine honored him as a 2023 Money Changemaker in December 2022.

Without Their Permission

Ohanian is the author of Without Their Permission: How the 21st Century Will Be Made, Not Managed, which was published on October 1, 2013. The book achieved the number four spot on The Wall Street Journal’s Hardcover Business bestseller list. To promote this work, he embarked on an extensive five-month tour that included 150 events and visits to 75 universities.

Small Empires

During summer 2013, Ohanian hosted Small Empires with Alexis Ohanian, a weekly digital series that showcased emerging startups based in New York City. The program debuted on The Verge and featured nine episodes in its initial season, with a second season premiering in October 2014.

NYRD Radio

Ohanian launched the podcast NYRD Radio on October 15, 2014. It features conversations with notable guests such as Tim Ferriss, James Altucher, Carter Cleveland (founder of Artsy), and Cameron Russell. The show includes an Office Hours segment where entrepreneurs can apply to collaborate with him on developing their ideas.

Upvoted

On January 8, 2015, Ohanian released "Episode 0" of Reddit’s podcast Upvoted, which delves into authentic Reddit narratives and interviews with key community members. Each installment centers on a unique story and guest.

Business Dad

Initiated by Initialized Capital in January 2020, Business Dad features Ohanian engaging in open conversations with accomplished men from business, sports, and entertainment about fatherhood and managing the balance between professional responsibilities and family life.

Twitch Stream (@AOC)

On January 28, 2021, Ohanian participated in a live broadcast on Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Twitch channel. The session featured contributors such as TheStockGuy and Alexis Goldstein, who engaged in discussions about the Gamestop Short Squeeze.