Steve Case

Steve Case
Name	Steve Case
Birth date	21 August 1958
Birth place	Honolulu, Hawaii
Occupation	Entrepreneur, investor, executive
Known for	Co-founder of America Online, CEO of AOL
Alma mater	Williams College, Harvard Business School

Steve Case

Steven B. Case is an American entrepreneur, investor, and civic leader best known for co-founding and leading America Online during the consumer internet expansion of the 1990s. He played a central role in the merger with Time Warner and later founded investment vehicle Revolution LLC to support technology startups, economic revitalization, and public-policy engagement. Case has been active in philanthropic initiatives, national economic forums, and regional development efforts, often collaborating with figures from Silicon Valley, Washington, D.C., and global finance.

Early life and education

Case was born in Honolulu, Hawaii and raised in Hawaii and on the US mainland. He attended Williams College where he studied political science and participated in campus organizations, later earning an MBA from Harvard Business School. During his formative years he engaged with regional business leaders, startup founders, and alumni networks from institutions such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and Yale University, which informed his later entrepreneurial strategies and investor relationships.

Career

Case began his professional career in the technology and communications sectors, holding roles at companies including Procter & Gamble, Eli Lilly and Company, and early internet-era ventures tied to Quantum Link. He became a leading executive at America Online and later transitioned to investment and advisory activities through firms like Revolution LLC and partnerships with Silver Lake Partners and other private equity investors. His career has intersected with major corporate entities such as Time Warner, Comcast, Verizon Communications, and multinational corporations involved in media and telecommunications. Case has served on corporate boards and engaged with policy institutions including Brookings Institution, Council on Foreign Relations, and advisory groups convened by the White House during multiple administrations.

AOL and the internet era

As a principal at America Online, Case oversaw expansion strategies that linked services to partners such as Microsoft, Apple Inc., and CompuServe, and negotiated distribution through retail chains like Best Buy and Walmart. He became a public figure during the peak of the 1990s dot-com proliferation, engaging with media outlets including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and CNN while speaking at conferences like COMDEX and TechCrunch Disrupt. The 2000 merger between AOL and Time Warner—a landmark deal involving executives from Time Warner Entertainment and corporate stakeholders such as AOL Time Warner investors—generated scrutiny from regulators including the Federal Communications Commission and commentators at The Washington Post. The aftermath influenced discussions at institutions like Harvard Business School and think tanks such as the Bipartisan Policy Center. Case's leadership during the era connected him with entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley, investors from New York City, and policymakers in Washington, D.C..

Post-AOL ventures and investments

Following his tenure at AOL, Case founded Revolution LLC to invest in late-stage and seed-stage companies, focusing on startups in cities such as Washington, D.C., Detroit, and Nashville. Revolution backed companies linked to sectors represented by Airbnb, Uber, Zipcar, DraftKings, and other technology firms, and partnered with institutional investors including JPMorgan Chase, BlackRock, and Goldman Sachs. Case launched initiatives like the Rise of the Rest tour and fund to promote entrepreneurship outside Silicon Valley and collaborated with civic leaders from Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Denver, and Raleigh-Durham. He has worked with accelerators and incubators such as Y Combinator, Techstars, and 500 Startups, and participated in investment syndicates with angel networks like AngelList.

Philanthropy and civic engagement

Case has supported philanthropic efforts through the Case Foundation, focusing on civic technology, entrepreneurship, and issue advocacy alongside organizations like United Way, The Aspen Institute, and The Rockefeller Foundation. He convened public-private partnerships with mayors from New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles and collaborated with elected officials including members of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives on startup ecosystems and broadband access. Case has been involved with educational institutions like Harvard University, Princeton University, and Columbia University on entrepreneurship programs, and he has appeared as a speaker at conferences hosted by The Brookings Institution, World Economic Forum, and Milken Institute.

Personal life

Case has engaged with cultural and civic institutions including Smithsonian Institution, Kennedy Center, and regional museums in Washington, D.C. and Hawaii. He has interacted with public figures such as former executives from Microsoft Corporation, Apple Inc., and leaders from the National Academy of Sciences. Case resides primarily in the Washington, D.C. area and is a frequent participant in forums alongside business leaders from New York City, technology founders from Silicon Valley, and policymakers from Washington, D.C..

Category:1958 births Category:Living people Category:American chief executives Category:American investors