In a world obsessed with quick success and viral fame, Naval Ravikant played a different game. He focused on clear thinking, smart strategies, and long-term results. Instead of just starting companies, he built systems that lasted. He didn’t chase attention, yet became one of the most respected voices in tech and wealth.
While others tried to be seen, Naval focused on learning and wisdom. His ideas about money, happiness, and freedom remain relevant, regardless of how trends change. He didn’t rely on hype; his principles stand the test of time and still spread widely years later.
From creating AngelList (which changed startup investing) to sharing deep life lessons, Naval’s path shows how to build not just businesses, but a meaningful life.
Naval Ravikant – Biography
| Name | Naval Ravikant |
|---|---|
| Born | 5 November 1974, New Delhi, India |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Entrepreneur, Angel Investor, Podcaster, Philosopher |
| Education | B.S. in Computer Science and Economics, Dartmouth College |
| Known For | AngelList, Angel Investing, The Almanack of Naval Ravikant |
Naval Ravikant – Early Life and Education
Naval Ravikant – Career Beginnings
Naval Ravikant – Entrepreneurial Journey
How Naval Ravikant’s Wisdom Became a Global Bestseller?
Naval Ravikant – Quotes
Naval Ravikant – Early Life and Education
Naval Ravikant was born in 1974 in India and moved to New York City at the age of nine, along with his mother and brother, Kamal Ravikant. Adjusting to a new country and culture wasn’t easy, but Naval quickly stood out for his academic brilliance.
He graduated from the prestigious Stuyvesant High School, one of New York’s most competitive public schools, in 1991. He then pursued his higher education at Dartmouth College, graduating in 1995 with dual degrees in Computer Science and Economics, a powerful combination that would shape his journey through the world of startups and investing.
During college, Naval interned at the top-tier law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell, and after graduation, he took on a short-term role at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) before heading west to pursue his ambitions in Silicon Valley.
Naval Ravikant – Career Beginnings
After graduating in 1995, Naval started his career at Boston Consulting Group (BCG). But he quickly realized the corporate world wasn’t for him. The formal setting, buzzwords, and complicated presentations felt fake. “If someone uses too many fancy words, they probably don’t understand what they’re saying,” he later said.
Looking for something more real and meaningful, he moved to Silicon Valley and joined @Home Network. There, he kept telling people he was going to start his own company, so often that he felt he had no choice but to actually do it.
In 1999, Naval co-founded Epinions, a website for product reviews. They raised $45 million from big investors. But when the company merged with another startup and became Shopping.com, things didn’t go as planned. Naval and his co-founders were told their shares were worth nothing, even though the new company later went public.
Feeling cheated, they filed a lawsuit against Benchmark Capital, claiming the investors hid the company’s real value. Naval said, “It feels like being hit by a truck when you realize the company you founded is going public and you aren’t making any money.”
Naval Ravikant – Entrepreneurial Journey
Naval Ravikant’s rise from startup founder to Silicon Valley’s most trusted voice in wealth and wisdom is built on one thing: playing long-term games with long-term people. Here’s how his journey unfolded:
Epinions
In 1999, Naval co-founded Epinions, a product review site that raised $45M from Benchmark and August Capital. In 2003, it merged with Dealtime to become Shopping.com, but former co-founders like Naval were told their shares were worthless.
When Shopping.com went public in 2004 at a $750M valuation, Naval and three co-founders sued, claiming they were misled. The case was settled in 2005.
Hit Forge
In 2007, Naval launched Hit Forge, a $20 million micro-VC fund focused on backing high-potential startups at the seed stage. This fund would go on to invest in Twitter, Uber, Stack Overflow, and several other future tech giants, building Naval’s reputation as an elite early-stage investor.
AngelList
Naval’s blog Venture Hacks evolved into AngelList in 2010, co-founded with Babak Nivi. It transformed startup fundraising by letting founders raise capital from angel investors directly. AngelList introduced Syndicates, Rolling Funds, and acquired Product Hunt. As of 2025, it manages over $3.8B and remains the default launchpad for early-stage founders.
Purbalee Dutta
MetaStable Capital
In 2014, Naval co-founded MetaStable Capital, a hedge fund focused on cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Monero. By mid-2017, the fund had $69 million in assets under management and attracted top-tier backers including Andreessen Horowitz, Union Square Ventures, and Bessemer Venture Partners.
Naval was among the earliest thought leaders in Silicon Valley to publicly back crypto as a new frontier of wealth creation and decentralised power.
Spearhead Investment Fund
In 2017, Naval launched Spearhead, an investment fund with a novel twist: it gave founders $1 million each to invest as angel investors. The idea was to equip operators with capital and turn them into early backers of the next wave of startups.
Spearhead’s first two cohorts included founders from 35 startups. Collectively, those companies were valued at over $10 billion, including unicorns like Opendoor, Rippling, PillPack, Shippo, and Scale.
Naval and The Rise of Podcast Wisdom
Naval and The Rise of Podcast Wisdom
Naval launched his own short-form podcast on Naval, where he distilled deep ideas on wealth, happiness, decision-making, and philosophy, often in bite-sized formats under 10 minutes. His podcast episodes, particularly “How to Get Rich (without getting lucky)”, became widely shared and quoted across platforms.
He has also appeared on high-profile shows like:
- The Joe Rogan Experience
- Farnam Street with Shane Parrish
- The James Altucher Show
- Coffee with Scott Adams
How Naval Ravikant’s Wisdom Became a Global Bestseller?
Naval Ravikant never sat down to write a book, yet ended up with one of the most impactful guides on wealth and happiness in the modern age.
“The Almanack of Naval Ravikant”, written by Eric Jorgenson, is a powerful compilation of Naval’s insights from podcasts, tweets, and interviews. It brings together his most profound thoughts on wealth creation, decision-making, and inner peace, making it all in one timeless resource.
At its core, the Almanack teaches that true wealth comes not from hard work alone, but from specific knowledge and building systems that work while you sleep. Naval champions owning equity, not renting time, and emphasizing using tools like code, media, and capital to scale impact. But it’s not just about money.
The second half of the book shifts to happiness, where Naval explores mindfulness, reducing desires, and mastering the mind. He describes happiness not as a reward, but a skill anyone can learn, rooted in clarity, gratitude, and presence. With its blend of practical wisdom and modern-day stoicism, the book has struck a chord globally, amassing over 10 million downloads and being featured in business schools, founder circles, and even meditation retreats.
Naval Ravikant – Quotes
- On competition: “Don’t debate people in the media when you can debate them in the marketplace.”
- On learning: “Even today, what to study and how to study it are more important than where to study it and for how long. The best teachers are on the Internet. The best books are on the Internet. The best peers are on the Internet. The tools for learning are abundant. It’s the desire to learn that’s scarce.”
- On wealth creation: “Wealth creation is an evolutionarily recent positive-sum game. Status is an old zero-sum game. Those attacking wealth creation are often just seeking status.”
- On living in the moment: “I don’t plan. I’m not a planner. I prefer to live in the moment and be free and to flow and to be happy.”
- On resilience: “A rational person can find peace by cultivating indifference to things outside of their control.”
- On outsourcing: “If you can outsource something or not do something for less than your hourly rate, outsource it or don’t do it.
FAQs
Who is Naval Ravikant ?
Naval Ravikant is an Indian-American entrepreneur, angel investor, and philosopher best known for co-founding AngelList and sharing insights on startups, wealth, and personal growth.
What are Naval Ravikant’s most successful investments?
Naval has invested early in companies like Twitter, Uber, Yammer, Stack Overflow, and Clubhouse, making him one of Silicon Valley’s most respected angel investors.
What is ‘The Almanack of Naval Ravikant’?
The Almanack of Naval Ravikant, curated by Eric Jorgenson, is a free book compiling Naval’s best insights on wealth, health, and happiness. It’s widely considered a modern philosophical guide for entrepreneurs and creators.