Josh Kopelman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Josh Kopelman
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| Nationality | American |
| Education | University of Pennsylvania (B.S.) |
| Alma mater | Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania |
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| Known for | Founder of Half.com, Infonautics, TurnTide, First Round Capital |
| Spouse(s) | Rena Cohen |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent(s) | Carol and Dr. Richard Kopelman |
Joshua Kopelman is an American businessman, investor, and someone who helps others through charity. He is known as one of the top investors in the world. He started a company called First Round Capital. Before that, he founded Half.com, which he sold to eBay in 2000. He also created other companies like Infonautics and TurnTide. From 2015 to 2024, he was the chairman of The Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper. After that, he became a special advisor to the board.
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Early Life and School
Josh Kopelman grew up in Great Neck, New York, on Long Island. His father, Dr. Richard Kopelman, was a professor, and his mother, Carol, was a real estate agent.
He studied at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating in 1993. In 1992, during his second year at Wharton, Kopelman helped start Infonautics in Wayne, Pennsylvania.
Starting Companies
Infonautics and Half.com
In 1996, his company Infonautics became a public company on the Nasdaq stock exchange. Three years later, in 1999, Kopelman left Infonautics to start Half.com. This website was a place to buy and sell used books, music, and videos at set prices. He sold Half.com to eBay in 2000 for $300 million.
After selling Half.com, Kopelman continued to work with eBay for three years.
TurnTide
In 2004, Kopelman helped create TurnTide. This company developed technology to stop unwanted spam emails. Symantec bought TurnTide within six months of its start.
First Round Capital
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In 2004, Kopelman also co-founded First Round Capital. This company is a special fund that invests money in new technology startups when they are just beginning. In 2007, Kopelman helped explain the idea of the "implicit web," which is about how computers can understand information better.
By 2013, Kopelman was a managing director at First Round Capital. He was also an investor and advisor for many companies. These included OnDeck Capital, Flatiron Health, Aster Data Systems, Knewton, Gigya, AltSchool, The Black Tux, Five Below, Massdrop, Like.com, IronPort, Mint.com, Monetate, LinkedIn, ModCloth, AppNexus, BankSimple, Swipely, True & Co., Wanelo, Warby Parker, Ring.com, Numerai, OpenX, LiveOps, Boxed.com, Clover Health, Upstart, and Discourse.
As of 2014, Kopelman had 16 U.S. patents for his work in internet technology. By 2014, First Round had invested in 300 technology startups. In 2016, he continued to work as a managing director at First Round Capital. First Round Capital invested in "Uber-Cab" in 2010. The firm made a lot of money in 2019 when Uber became a public company. In March 2020, he helped fund Coursedog with $4.2 million.
Board Positions
In 2015, Josh Kopelman joined the board of the Philadelphia Media Network, which later became The Philadelphia Inquirer. In 2016, he was chosen as the chairman of the board for The Philadelphia Inquirer. He finished his term in June 2024 because he reached the time limit for that position. The board then elected Kopelman to be a special advisor for three years.
Awards and Recognition
Josh Kopelman has received many awards for his work. In 2008, The New York Times ranked him 3rd on their list of Top Venture Capitalists. He has also been in the top 20 of the Forbes Midas List, which names the top 100 tech investors. He was ranked 18th in 2011, 6th in 2012, 12th in 2013, 11th in 2014, 4th in 2015, 6th in 2016, 35th in 2017, 19th in 2018, 39th in 2019, and 79th in 2020.
In 2007, Business 2.0 magazine called Kopelman one of "Tech's New Kingmakers." Fortune magazine named him a "Rising VC Star" in 2008. In 2014, Newsweek listed him as one of the top ten angel investors in the United States.
Personal Life
In 1995, Kopelman married Rena Cohen, who is an attorney, in Great Neck, New York. As of 2021, Kopelman and his wife live near Philadelphia with their two children. In 2001, he and his wife started the Kopelman Foundation. This is a non-profit group that gives money to people who are starting new projects to help society. In 2002, the Kopelman Foundation helped pay for a project to put the entire Jewish Encyclopedia online.
