Adam Neumann

Overview

Neumann’s ventures span coworking, residential communities and carbon finance. He co-founded WeWork WeWorkWeWork is a flexible workspace company founded in New York in 2010 by Adam Neumann and Miguel McKelvey. It provides private offices, coworking space, meeting rooms and enterprise workplace services. After withdrawing its IPO plan in 2019, it went public through a BowX merger in 2021, entered Chapter 11 in 2023 and emerged from restructuring in June 2024, continuing as a private company.Open the full entry with Miguel McKelvey and later turned to Flow. Flowcarbon is a separate, jointly founded venture whose operating leadership is distinct from his co-founder status.⁠[1][2][3]

Contents18 sections

Key facts

1979Born in Israel

Neumann was born in Israel and spent part of his childhood in a kibbutz. A Forbes Italia profile records service in the Israeli Navy from 1996 to 2001, followed by a move to New York.⁠[4]

2002Enrolls at Baruch College

He entered Baruch College in 2002 and left in autumn 2005 to pursue entrepreneurship. WeWork’s 2018 biography records that he previously co-founded and ran Big Tent Inc., developing the Egg Baby and Krawlers children’s clothing brands.⁠[5][6]

2008Co-founds GreenDesk

He and Miguel McKelvey founded GreenDesk in Brooklyn, offering turnkey coworking space with an environmental focus. The venture preceded their collaboration on WeWork.⁠[4][6]

2010Co-founds WeWork

The two founded WeWork in New York’s SoHo neighborhood around shared workspace, community and services. Neumann led its expansion as CEO until September 2019.⁠[5][7]

June 5, 2017Graduates and Gives Commencement Address

After returning to complete required coursework, Neumann earned a BBA in Entrepreneurship from Baruch’s Zicklin School of Business and delivered its commencement address. The college identified him as a Class of 2017 graduate; this was an earned degree.⁠[5]

August 24, 2017WeWork Announces SoftBank Investment

During his tenure, WeWork announced a $4.4 billion SoftBank and Vision Fund investment covering parent-company primary and secondary shares and Asian regional businesses. This announced total is distinct from his later recollection of a $4.2 billion initial offer.⁠[8][9]

September 24, 2019Steps Down as WeWork CEO

The board announced his immediate departure as CEO, naming Artie Minson and Sebastian Gunningham co-CEOs while he became non-executive chair. Neumann said scrutiny of him had become a distraction for the business.⁠[7]

WeWork announced its IPO withdrawal on September 30. Its 2023 bankruptcy came years after his departure. During the 2024 restructuring, his alternative purchase proposal was rejected in favor of the creditor-supported plan.⁠[10][11]

May 24, 2022Flowcarbon Announces Funding

Flowcarbon announced $70 million from venture funding and token sales, led by a16z crypto. It named Neumann, Rebekah Neumann, Dana Gibber, Caroline Klatt and Ilan Stern as co-founders, with Gibber, Klatt and Phil Fogel running operations.⁠[3]

August 15, 2022a16z Announces Flow Investment

Marc Andreessen Marc AndreessenMarc Andreessen is an American entrepreneur and venture capitalist, a co-founder and general partner of the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). While in college he helped develop the graphical web browser Mosaic, then co-founded Netscape and Loudcloud (later renamed Opsware), and has long served as a director of Meta; he has also published essays such as “Why Software Is Eating the World.”Open the full entry announced a partnership with Neumann and Flow focused on rental housing, resident experience and community. The announcement date marks public investment news rather than legal incorporation; a 2026 DIFC release dates Flow’s establishment to 2021.⁠[2][12]

September 12, 2024Flowcarbon Token Refunds Reported

Forbes reported refunds to buyers after Flowcarbon’s Goddess Nature Token failed to launch as planned. The company said it had offered retail refunds since 2023 because of industry delays while continuing its carbon finance business. The report did not establish a company shutdown or a criminal finding against Neumann.⁠[13]

April 24, 2025Further Flow Funding Reported

Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter, reported that Flow raised over $100 million from investors including a16z at an approximately $2.5 billion valuation. This was a reported private financing valuation, not Neumann’s personal wealth or a stock-market listing.⁠[14]

June 12, 2025a16z Confirms Further Support

Andreessen said a16z was increasing its investment and described Flow’s financing, acquisitions and property operations in Saudi Arabia. Statements about resident experience and financial performance were the investor’s assessment; the post did not present complete audited financial statements.⁠[15]

September 1, 2026Flow Receives UAE Commercial Licence

DIFC announced a commercial licence supporting Flow’s UAE expansion and identified Neumann as its founder. First Dubai and Abu Dhabi communities were planned for the first quarter of 2027. The stated 8,500 residences combined properties under management and in development.⁠[12]

September 28, 2026Reflects on SoftBank and Leadership

On Steven Bartlett Steven BartlettSteven Bartlett, born in Botswana in August 1992, is a British entrepreneur, investor, author and podcast host. He co-founded Social Chain and thirdweb, hosts The Diary Of A CEO, and founded FlightStory and Steven.com. He is also known for roles on Dragons’ Den and Shark Tank. His health-related interviews and commercial endorsements have attracted public scrutiny.Open the full entry’s The Diary Of A CEO, Neumann linked his loss of mission to ego after Masayoshi Son’s large investment offer. He recalled Marc Benioff advising him to decline it and go public at a lower valuation. These were personal recollections and interpretations, not proof of a single cause of WeWork’s failure.⁠[9][16]

Family and Business Roles

His wife, Rebekah Neumann, is also a co-founder of Flowcarbon. Family relationships are distinct from management, ownership and investment responsibilities, which should be read from company disclosures at the relevant date.⁠[6][3]