Eduardo Saverin

Eduardo Saverin
Born	(1982-03-19) March 19, 1982 São Paulo, Brazil
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, angel investor, philanthropist
Years active	2004–present
Known for	Co-founder of Facebook, founder of B Capital

Eduardo Luiz Saverin ( , ; born March 19, 1982) is a Brazilian billionaire entrepreneur, angel investor, and philanthropist, recognized primarily as a co-founder of Facebook and later as the founder of the venture capital firm B Capital. Residing in Singapore, he also co-established the Elaine and Eduardo Saverin Foundation, which emphasizes innovation, education, sustainability, and health initiatives. As of June 2025, his net worth is valued at approximately US$38.3 billion, positioning him as both the wealthiest individual from Brazil and the richest person living in Singapore.

Early life and education

Eduardo Luiz Saverin was born in São Paulo into a prosperous Jewish-Brazilian family, before relocating to Rio de Janeiro. His father, Roberto Saverin, was engaged in multiple industries including clothing, shipping, energy, and real estate. His mother, Sandra, worked as a psychologist. He has two siblings. His grandfather Eugenio Saverin, originally from Romania, was the founder of Tip Top, a children's apparel chain. The family moved to the United States in 1993 and settled in Miami, Florida. Eduardo became a naturalized citizen of the US in 1998.

Saverin attended Gulliver Preparatory School in Miami prior to enrolling at Harvard University. While at Harvard, he lived in Eliot House, was part of the Phoenix S.K. Club, and served as president of the Harvard Investment Association. Utilizing his fascination with meteorology, he forecasted hurricane trends and generated $300,000 through oil futures investments. He graduated magna cum laude in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics. Additionally, Saverin is affiliated with the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity (Eta Psi chapter at Harvard).

Career

In his junior year at Harvard, Saverin encountered sophomore Mark Zuckerberg. Observing an absence of a social networking platform exclusive to Harvard students, they launched Facebook in 2004, each contributing $1,000 initially followed by an extra $18,000. As co-founder, Saverin took on the roles of chief financial officer and business manager. On May 15, 2012, Business Insider published an email from Zuckerberg explaining how he removed Saverin from Facebook and diluted his ownership stake. Zuckerberg wrote, "Eduardo is refusing to co-operate... We basically now need to sign over our intellectual property to a new company and just take the lawsuit... I'm just going to cut him out and then settle with him. And he'll get something I'm sure, but he deserves something." Zuckerberg’s lawyer cautioned that this action could lead to a breach of fiduciary duty lawsuit.

Facebook initiated legal action against Saverin by challenging the validity of the stock-purchase agreement he had signed in October 2005. In response, Saverin filed a countersuit accusing Zuckerberg of using Facebook’s funds for personal expenditures. Both parties resolved their disputes privately in 2009; while terms were confidential, Saverin’s status as Facebook co-founder was confirmed. Following this settlement, he agreed to a non-disclosure agreement.

In 2010, Saverin launched Aporta, an online platform dedicated to charitable giving. He founded B Capital in 2015—a venture capital firm targeting investments across Southeast Asia and India. By 2016, B Capital completed initial deals surpassing $140 million within Asia; among these was funding for Ninja Van, a Singapore-based last-mile logistics provider active throughout Southeast Asia.

Beyond his work with B Capital, in early 2020 Saverin invested in Antler, an early-stage venture capital fund and startup accelerator established by his Harvard classmate Magnus Grimeland.

In popular culture

Eduardo Saverin is depicted by Andrew Garfield in the motion picture The Social Network, which is adapted from Ben Mezrich's book The Accidental Billionaires.

Philanthropic activities

In 2022, Eduardo Saverin, alongside his wife Elaine, established the Elaine and Eduardo Saverin Foundation Limited, a charitable organization based in Singapore that was officially registered in 2023. The foundation dedicates its resources to advancing education, sustainability, healthcare, and mental health projects.

The foundation’s core purpose is to stimulate innovation, encourage impactful initiatives, and commit to long-term investments in scalable solutions that foster environmental sustainability and inclusive systemic transformation. It prioritizes sustainable development and empowering upcoming generations through adaptable philanthropic approaches.

Healthcare

In 2019, the foundation made a significant contribution of US$20 million to the Dana–Farber Cancer Institute aimed at enhancing research on metastatic breast cancer.

Education

A landmark donation of S$20 million was made in 2024 to the Singapore American School, marking the largest gift ever received by the institution. These funds support the development of cutting-edge STEM laboratories, AI-integrated classrooms, Chinese language immersion programs, and facilities promoting student well-being.

Sustainability

The foundation backs projects such as those led by the World Wide Fund for Nature, The Earthshot Prize, and Ibis Rice, which advocates for biodiversity preservation and wildlife-friendly farming practices across Southeast Asia.

Mental health

Mental health remains a principal area of focus, with initiatives aimed at creating scalable, community-driven solutions that improve mental health infrastructure and accessibility, particularly within underserved populations. The foundation seeks to drive sustainable and inclusive mental health programs as it broadens its impact.

Private life

Saverin relocated to Singapore in 2009. He wed Elaine Andriejanssen, an Indonesian-Chinese finance expert from a prosperous business lineage, on June 25, 2015; the couple has one child. Their relationship began while both were students in Massachusetts—Saverin attending Harvard University and Andriejanssen studying at Tufts University.

In September 2011, Saverin relinquished his U.S. citizenship, a move that reportedly helped him avoid approximately US$700 million in capital gains taxes. This decision attracted considerable media scrutiny and debate. Saverin explained that his choice was driven by his desire to live and pursue his career in Singapore, denying any tax avoidance motives.

In 2023, he acquired two adjoining chalets totaling more than 3000 square meters at the Courchevel ski resort in France for US$95 million.

External links

• Profile at Forbes