Bill Gurley

Bill Gurley was born in Dickinson, Texas, in 1966. His subsequent career moved from computing into securities research and venture capital.⁠[1][2]

He earned a BS in computer science from the University of Florida. Before entering finance, he worked as a Compaq design engineer on computer and server products.⁠[3]

He earned an MBA from the University of Texas.⁠[3]

He was named to Institutional Investor’s All-American Research Team in both years. His Wall Street research career lasted approximately four years, including three at CS First Boston.⁠[3]

He served as lead analyst on Amazon’s initial public offering, then worked as a partner at Hummer Winblad Venture Partners, moving from public-market research into early-stage investing.⁠[2][3]

He joined Benchmark and served for many years as a general partner, investing in and serving on boards of technology companies including OpenTable, Nextdoor, Stitch Fix and Uber.⁠[2]

He served on the board of Zillow and its successor group for approximately a decade. A later company announcement identified him as an early investor and adviser with experience in digital consumer marketplaces.⁠[4]

Benchmark provided Uber’s first major financing round to support expansion and testing beyond San Francisco. Gurley joined Uber’s board in 2011.⁠[5][6]

He left Uber’s board and was succeeded by fellow Benchmark partner Matt Cohler during a period of leadership and governance changes at the company.⁠[6]

He gave a talk at the University of Texas McCombs School of Business about careers and personal interests. Its ideas later informed Runnin’ Down a Dream and the foundation bearing the same name.⁠[7]

In an Above the Crowd essay, he argued that a central benefit of Uber’s model was drivers’ ability to choose when and where to work and obtain flexible supplemental income. The essay presented his perspective as an investor on platform work.⁠[8]

He published an essay arguing that internet marketplaces expand trading opportunities by reducing information asymmetry and matching costs across goods, labor and underused assets.⁠[9]

The McElrath shareholder derivative action over Uber’s Otto acquisition named Gurley and other directors as defendants. Delaware’s Court of Chancery dismissed the case under Rule 23.1 because the plaintiff had not adequately established demand futility. It was a derivative-litigation ruling, not a criminal judgment.⁠[6]

Zillow Group reappointed him to its board. The company announced the appointment on January 9, while its SEC filing records January 6 as the effective date.⁠[10][4]

Texas Exes named him a 2025 Distinguished Alumnus, identifying him as a member of the University of Texas MBA class of 1993.⁠[11][1]

The Gurley Forum, whose construction he funded, opened at the Santa Fe Institute’s Miller Campus and hosted a complexity science symposium on April 25–26. The facility supports scientific meetings and education; Gurley also serves as an institute trustee.⁠[12][2]

The Runnin’ Down a Dream Foundation identifies 2026 as its first grant year, offering $5,000 per recipient for training, professional tools and related expenses. It aims to reduce financial barriers to pursuing career interests rather than invest in startups.⁠[7]

Crown Currency published Runnin’ Down a Dream: How to Thrive in a Career You Actually Love. The 272-page book examines career regret, curiosity and peer groups, presenting six principles for developing a fulfilling career.⁠[13]

School of Hard Knocks Podcast released an approximately 57-minute interview covering his missed Google opportunity, backing Uber, evaluating founders, network effects and execution.⁠[14]

P3 Institute published resources for his All-In Summit presentation, “Searching for Feynman.” The institute’s stated interests include regulatory capture, healthcare reform, financial markets, education and open source.⁠[15][16]

He co-hosts BG2 with Brad Gerstner, discussing technology, markets and investing. Its website, https://www.bg2pod.com/ (opens in a new window), now describes him as a former Benchmark general partner. His blog is https://abovethecrowd.com/ (opens in a new window) and the foundation website is https://rdad.org/ (opens in a new window).⁠[17][3][7]