Nat Friedman

Nat Friedman. An American entrepreneur and investor renowned for his leadership in the open-source software movement and the technology industry. He co-founded Ximian, served as a key executive at Novell, and later became the CEO of GitHub, steering its acquisition by Microsoft. A prolific angel investor, he has significantly funded numerous artificial intelligence and open-source startups, establishing himself as a central figure in Silicon Valley.

Early life and education

Born in Jerusalem to a family with deep academic roots, his early years were spent in Israel before relocating to the United States. He demonstrated an early aptitude for computer programming, reportedly writing his first code at a young age. He pursued his higher education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he earned a degree in computer science. During his time at MIT, he became deeply involved with the free software community, an experience that would shape his future career trajectory and advocacy.

Career

His professional career began in earnest with the co-founding of Ximian in 1999 alongside Miguel de Icaza. The company focused on creating desktop applications for Linux, most notably the GNOME desktop and the Mono development platform. Following the acquisition of Ximian by Novell in 2003, he held several leadership roles within Novell, including Vice President and later CTO. After Novell was acquired by The Attachmate Group, he transitioned into angel investing and advisory roles. In 2018, he was appointed CEO of GitHub, overseeing its integration into Microsoft and championing initiatives like GitHub Copilot. He stepped down from this role in 2021 to focus full-time on his investment activities.

Open source advocacy

A lifelong proponent of collaborative development, his advocacy is rooted in his work at Ximian and GNOME. He has been a vocal supporter of projects that lower barriers to entry in software development. During his tenure at GitHub, he emphasized expanding access to the platform, improving the experience for open-source maintainers, and promoting tools like GitHub Actions. His philosophical alignment with the open-source model has guided his investments and public commentary, consistently supporting communities built around transparency and shared innovation. He has also engaged with broader policy discussions concerning digital infrastructure and developer rights.

Investments and philanthropy

Through his investment firm and personal capital, he has become a highly active angel investor in the technology startup ecosystem. His portfolio is heavily concentrated in pioneering artificial intelligence companies, including foundational investments in OpenAI, Anthropic, and Midjourney. He also backs numerous open-source infrastructure and developer tooling ventures. His philanthropic efforts, while often private, have supported causes related to scientific research, effective altruism, and biosecurity. He is a signatory to the Giving Pledge and has contributed to organizations like the Center for AI Safety.

Personal life

He is married to Barbara Ovrutsky, a former product manager at Google. The couple resides in the San Francisco Bay Area and has two children. An avid reader and podcast enthusiast, he frequently discusses topics ranging from technology and science to history and philosophy on social media and in interviews. He maintains a relatively low public profile despite his significant influence within Silicon Valley, focusing his public engagements primarily on technical and entrepreneurial subjects.

Category:American technology chief executives Category:American open-source software advocates Category:GitHub people Category:Angel investors Category:Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni