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| Patrick McGinnis (businessman) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Patrick McGinnis |
| Occupation | Venture capitalist, author, entrepreneur |
| Known for | Coined "FOMO", founder of The Funded, author |
Patrick McGinnis (businessman) is an American venture capitalist, author, and entrepreneur known for popularizing the term "FOMO" and for founding early-stage investment platforms. He has been active in Silicon Valley technology circles, engaged with venture capital firms, and involved with startup communities across New York City and Boston. McGinnis has written on decision-making and startup investing, contributing to discussions alongside figures from Harvard Business School, Stanford Graduate School of Business, and Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
McGinnis was raised in the United States and pursued higher education at institutions associated with Oxford University and Harvard University, where he engaged with peers from Yale University, Columbia University, and Princeton University. He completed studies that connected him to alumni networks at Dartmouth College and Brown University, building ties used later in his career with firms in New York City and San Francisco. During his formative years he participated in programs linked to Fulbright Program alumni and attended conferences featuring speakers from McKinsey & Company, Bain & Company, and Boston Consulting Group.
McGinnis began his career in technology and finance, working with startups that interfaced with platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. He founded The Funded, an online community for entrepreneurs to rate investors, which connected founders with firms like Sequoia Capital, Benchmark Capital, and Andreessen Horowitz. His venture activities included roles at angel networks and early-stage funds that co-invested alongside Accel Partners, Foundry Group, and First Round Capital. McGinnis has been involved with accelerator ecosystems including Y Combinator, Techstars, and 500 Startups, and collaborated with incubators affiliated with Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and University of California, Berkeley.
McGinnis popularized "FOMO" in an influential article that circulated in outlets read by audiences of The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Economist. He authored books and articles on decision-making and venture strategy that were discussed in forums alongside authors from Harvard Business Review, The Atlantic, and Forbes. His writing engaged with concepts promoted by thinkers at Princeton University, University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and London Business School, and has been cited in panels featuring speakers from TED Conferences, SXSW, and Web Summit.
As an investor, McGinnis made seed and early-stage investments in companies that later interacted with marketplaces such as Amazon (company), eBay, and Airbnb. He served on advisory boards and boards of directors alongside executives from Dropbox, Stripe, and Palantir Technologies. His portfolio included startups in sectors overlapping with firms like Uber Technologies, Lyft, and Zocdoc, and investments that received follow-on funding from corporate venture arms of Google LLC, Microsoft Corporation, and Intel Corporation.
McGinnis has appeared on podcasts and panels with hosts and guests from NPR, Bloomberg L.P., and CNBC. He has spoken at events organized by Harvard Business School, Stanford Graduate School of Business, and Harvard Kennedy School, and participated in discussions at conferences including TED Conferences, SXSW, and Web Summit. Media interviews placed him alongside commentators from The New Yorker, Wired (magazine), and Fast Company, and he has participated in televised segments on networks such as ABC (American Broadcasting Company), CBS News, and NBC News.
McGinnis is engaged in philanthropic activities supporting organizations in education and entrepreneurship linked to Teach For America, Kiva (organization), and university-affiliated initiatives at Harvard University and Stanford University. He has worked with nonprofits and foundations connected to Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, and regional community funds in New York City and Boston. In private life he has maintained relationships within alumni networks of Oxford University, Harvard Business School, and other institutions, and has advised mentorship programs associated with Junior Achievement and local startup hubs.
Category:American venture capitalists Category:American business writers