Michael Arrington

Michael Arrington
Name	Michael Arrington
Caption	Arrington in 2008
Birth date	13 March 1970
Birth place	Orange County, California, U.S.
Alma mater	Claremont McKenna College, Stanford Law School
Occupation	Entrepreneur, venture capitalist, writer
Known for	Founding TechCrunch
Website	http://www.crunchbase.com/person/michael-arrington

Michael Arrington is an American entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and writer best known as the founder of the influential technology news blog TechCrunch. His work at the publication, which chronicled the rise of Web 2.0 and the Silicon Valley startup ecosystem, made him a central and often controversial figure in technology journalism. Following his tenure at TechCrunch, he co-founded the venture capital firm CrunchFund and later launched the cryptocurrency hedge fund Arrington XRP Capital.

Early life and education

Michael Arrington was born in Orange County, California and spent part of his childhood in Huntington Beach. He attended Claremont McKenna College, where he earned a degree in economics before pursuing a Juris Doctor from Stanford Law School. After graduating, he initially practiced corporate law at the prestigious firms O'Melveny & Myers and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, representing technology companies. His early career also included roles as a corporate attorney for RealNetworks and co-founding Achex, an online payments company that was acquired during the dot-com bubble.

Career

Before entering media, Arrington held various executive positions at technology companies, including serving as vice president of business development at Zed, a mobile content provider. His legal background and experience with startups provided a foundation for his later work analyzing the technology sector. He also served on the board of directors for several early-stage companies, gaining insight into venture capital and entrepreneurship that would inform his writing and investments.

TechCrunch and AOL

In June 2005, Arrington founded TechCrunch from his home in Atherton, California, initially funding the site himself. The blog quickly became a must-read for its breaking news, startup profiles, and coverage of major industry events like the TechCrunch Disrupt conference series. In 2010, AOL acquired TechCrunch for a reported $25 million, with Arrington remaining as editor. Tensions soon arose over editorial independence, culminating in a public dispute with AOL management, including then-CEO Tim Armstrong, over his dual role as a writer and an investor through CrunchFund. This conflict led to his highly publicized departure from the company in 2011.

Investments and ventures

Following his exit from TechCrunch, Arrington fully focused on venture capital. He had already co-founded CrunchFund, an early-stage venture capital firm with backing from investors like Accel Partners and Sequoia Capital. The firm invested in numerous successful startups, including Uber, Airbnb, and Slack. In 2017, he launched Arrington XRP Capital, a cryptocurrency hedge fund focused on investments in blockchain and digital assets like XRP. He has also been an active angel investor, backing companies such as Twitter and Pandora Radio.

Controversies and legal issues

Arrington's career has been marked by several public controversies. His aggressive reporting style and personal investments led to frequent accusations of conflict of interest, notably during the CrunchFund saga. He was involved in a legal dispute with former TechCrunch writer Sarah Lacy and faced criticism for his conduct at industry events. In 2008, he was briefly detained by French police following an altercation at the Le Web conference. His management style and outspoken opinions on platforms like Twitter have often polarized the technology community.

Personal life

Arrington has lived in several locations, including Seattle and Atherton, and has been known for his interest in endurance sports. He maintains a lower public profile in recent years, focusing on his cryptocurrency investments. His work has been recognized with inclusions on lists like the Time 100 and the Forbes Midas List of top tech investors. He continues to engage with the technology sector through his funds and occasional commentary.

Category:American technology writers Category:American venture capitalists Category:1970 births Category:Living people