John O'Farrell (venture capitalist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John O'Farrell
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O'Farrell in 2011
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| Education | University College Dublin (B.E.) Stanford University (MBA) |
| Employer | Andreessen Horowitz |
| Board member of | Slack, Pagerduty, UNICEF USA, Karam Foundation |
John O’Farrell is an Irish venture capitalist. This means he invests money in new companies to help them grow. He works at a well-known firm called Andreessen Horowitz in Silicon Valley, California. He joined the company in 2010 as one of its main partners. John has also served on the boards of several important organizations. These include UNICEF USA, PagerDuty, and Slack.
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His Early Life and School
John O'Farrell grew up in Stillorgan, a town in south Dublin, Ireland. He went to University College Dublin and earned a degree in Electronic Engineering. Later, he continued his studies at the Stanford Graduate School of Business in the United States. He graduated from Stanford as an Arjay Miller Scholar, which is a special honor for top students.
Starting His Career in Tech
John O'Farrell has had a long career helping technology companies grow. From 1997 to 2001, he worked for @Home Network. This company helped launch fast internet services in different countries like Australia and Japan. Before that, he held various roles in the United States and Europe. He worked for companies like US WEST, Telecom Ireland, and Siemens.
Helping Companies Grow
From 2001 to 2007, John was a leader at Opsware Inc.. This company was one of the first to offer Software as a Service (SaaS) and cloud computing. SaaS means you use software over the internet without installing it. Cloud computing means storing and accessing data and programs over the internet instead of your computer's hard drive.
John worked with the CEO, Ben Horowitz, to change Opsware's business. They helped the company become a leader in software that automates how computer servers work. John also helped Opsware grow by buying four other companies. This expanded their products to include things like managing computer assets and networks. He also made deals with companies like NEC Corp. and NTT Communications overseas.
In 2006, John made a big deal with Cisco Systems to distribute Opsware's products. This deal brought in millions of dollars. In 2007, John and Ben Horowitz helped sell Opsware to Hewlett-Packard for a huge amount of money: $1.65 billion.
After Opsware, John joined Silver Spring Networks in 2008. This company worked on smart grid technology, which helps manage electricity more efficiently. John helped the company raise $90 million from investors like Kleiner Perkins and Google. He also helped Silver Spring Networks expand into new areas like Europe and Asia.
In 2010, John O'Farrell became the first partner at Andreessen Horowitz who wasn't one of the founders. The Irish Times newspaper noted that he quietly became one of Ireland's most important people in the technology world. In 2013, he moved into an advisory role at the firm. Later, in 2019, he joined the board of Slack, a popular communication software company.
Giving Back to Others
John O'Farrell is also known for his charity work. In 2012, he and other partners at Andreessen Horowitz made a promise. They pledged to give half of the money they earn from their venture capital investments to charity. This shows their commitment to helping others and making a positive impact on the world.
