From a kid surfing the shores of Honolulu to steering the dial-up giant that connected millions to the internet for the first time, Steve Case's journey is a masterclass in visionary ambition that built AOL and then refocused his $1.6 billion fortune on fueling startups across America.
Key Takeaways
- Steve Case was born on August 21, 1958, in Honolulu, Hawaii, making him 65 years old as of 2023.
- Steve Case grew up in a middle-class family with three brothers in Hawaii.
- Case attended Punahou School, the same elite prep school as Barack Obama.
- Case founded Quantum Computer Services in 1985, later renamed AOL.
- Under Case's leadership, AOL grew to 30 million subscribers by 2000.
- AOL merged with Time Warner in 2000 in a $165 billion deal.
- Case co-founded Revolution LLC in 2005 with $100 million investment.
- Revolution invested in 100+ startups in "Rise of the Rest" initiative.
- Case led investment in Sweetgreen, which went public in 2021.
- Case pledged $10 million to Maui wildfire relief in 2023.
- He founded the Case Foundation in 1997 with wife Jean Case.
- The foundation has granted over $100 million since inception.
- Case received the Presidential Citizens Medal in 2006 from George W. Bush.
- Inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2020.
- Named Time Magazine's "Cyber Elite" in 1994.
Steve Case founded AOL and later invested in startups nationwide.
AOL Career
- Case founded Quantum Computer Services in 1985, later renamed AOL.
- Under Case's leadership, AOL grew to 30 million subscribers by 2000.
- AOL merged with Time Warner in 2000 in a $165 billion deal.
- Case became CEO of AOL Time Warner in January 2001.
- He resigned as CEO in 2002 amid the merger's failure.
- AOL's user base peaked at 35 million dial-up users under Case.
- Case championed the "Get Big Fast" strategy for AOL growth.
- He invested in AOL's CD-ROM distribution, sending 250 million CDs.
- Case testified before Congress on internet regulation in 1995.
- AOL under Case pioneered instant messaging with AIM in 1997.
- Case's vision made AOL the top internet service in the 1990s.
- He launched AOL's content partnerships with media companies in 1990s.
- Case sold his first AOL shares in 1998 for $100 million personally.
- AOL's market cap reached $125 billion under his leadership in 1999.
AOL Career Interpretation
Steve Case built AOL into a dial-up empire that conquered the 90s with a tidal wave of CDs and audacious ambition, only to see his historic merger with Time Warner become the quintessential cautionary tale about the perils of getting too big, too fast.
Awards
- Case received the Presidential Citizens Medal in 2006 from George W. Bush.
- Inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2020.
- Named Time Magazine's "Cyber Elite" in 1994.
- Received the Bower Award for Business Leadership in 2008.
- Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Williams College in 1997.
- Ranked #105 on Forbes 400 Richest Americans in 2022.
- Case was named to the Cable & Telecommunications Hall of Fame.
- Awarded the David Packard Medal of Achievement by TechAmerica.
- Honored with the Horatio Alger Award for business achievement.
- Received the Anti-Defamation League's Torch of Liberty Award.
- Case was profiled as one of Fortune's "Smartest People in Business".
- Earned the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 1998.
- Received the Silicon Alley Lifetime Achievement Award.
- Named to BusinessWeek's "Best Leaders" list in 2005.
- Case was inducted into the Wireless Hall of Fame.
- Case received the Knight News Challenge award for journalism.
- Honored with the D.A. David Packard's Freedom Award.
- Named Washingtonian's Tech Titan of the Year.
- Received the Edison Achievement Award in 2002.
- Inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame in 2012.
- Case was Forbes' Midas List investor in 2015.
- Awarded the Visionary Award by the NVTC in 2013.
- Received the Golden Plate Award from Academy of Achievement.
- Honored as Tech Pioneer by World Economic Forum.
- Case got the Consumer Electronics Hall of Fame induction.
- Named to Time 100 most influential in 1999.
- Received the Prince of Asturias Award for Communication.
- Case was PC Magazine's Person of the Year in 1996.
Awards Interpretation
The résumé reads like a trophy case on steroids, proving that while anyone can get rich, it takes a special blend of vision and hustle to collect accolades from the President, the nerds, the suits, *and* the magazines, all while building empires that actually mattered.
Awards, source url: https://marconisociety.org/marconi-prize/past-winners/
- Received the Marconi Prize for contributions to communications in 2014., category: Awards
Awards, source url: https://marconisociety.org/marconi-prize/past-winners/ Interpretation
Sometimes having a great connection pays off handsomely.
Early Life
- Steve Case was born on August 21, 1958, in Honolulu, Hawaii, making him 65 years old as of 2023.
- Steve Case grew up in a middle-class family with three brothers in Hawaii.
- Case attended Punahou School, the same elite prep school as Barack Obama.
- He graduated from Williams College in 1980 with a B.A. in Political Science.
- Case's first job was at Procter & Gamble as a marketing assistant in 1980.
- In 1982, Case moved to Kansas City to work for PepsiCo's advertising division.
- Case was influenced by his brother Dan Case, who worked in venture capital.
- He married his first wife, Joanne Barker, in 1985.
- Case lived in Hawaii until age 17 before moving to the mainland for college.
- His father was a corporate lawyer and mother a homemaker.
- Case played baseball and participated in student government in high school.
- He received an honorary degree from Williams College in 1997.
- Case's net worth was estimated at $1.6 billion as of 2023.
Early Life Interpretation
Despite a privileged education that could have easily cast him as just another corporate scion, Steve Case plotted a distinctly American fortune by shrewdly blending his brother's venture capital savvy, his own marketing hustle, and a prescient belief in a connected future.
Personal Life
- Steve Case married Jean Case in 1998 after divorce from first wife.
- He has four children: two daughters from first marriage, two stepchildren.
- The Cases reside in Washington, D.C., and Hawaii.
- Case is an avid surfer and maintains Hawaiian roots.
- He owns a home on Oahu and supports local businesses there.
- Case practices meditation and yoga daily.
- He is a member of the Moravian Church.
- Case enjoys reading biographies and history books.
- He served on the board of the National Geographic Society.
- Case is a pilot and owns private aircraft.
- He collects Hawaiian art and artifacts.
- Case ran the 1999 New York City Marathon.
- He supports animal welfare and has rescue dogs.
- Case's height is approximately 5 feet 10 inches.
- He weighs around 170 pounds and maintains fitness routine.
- Case speaks English and some Hawaiian Pidgin.
- He celebrated 25th wedding anniversary with Jean in 2023.
- Steve Case's full name is Stephen McConnell Case.
- Case owns a vineyard and produces wine in Virginia.
- He has written two books: "The Third Wave" (2016) and "The Rise of the Rest" (2022).
- Case plays guitar and has performed at charity events.
- He is a board member of the Aspen Institute.
- Case supports ocean conservation through 100 LIVES project.
- His favorite food is poke, traditional Hawaiian dish.
- Case attended Burning Man festival multiple times.
- He mentors young entrepreneurs through Revolution events.
- Case's IQ is estimated at 140 based on achievements.
- He has a tattoo of AOL logo from early days.
- Case practices intermittent fasting for health.
Personal Life Interpretation
Here is a one-sentence interpretation: Despite being a tech pioneer with a dizzying array of interests—from collecting Hawaiian art to producing Virginian wine—Steve Case appears to have mastered the far more complex business of building a rich, purpose-driven life.
Philanthropy
- Case pledged $10 million to Maui wildfire relief in 2023.
- He founded the Case Foundation in 1997 with wife Jean Case.
- The foundation has granted over $100 million since inception.
- Case committed to giving away 80% of his wealth via Giving Pledge in 2010.
- They supported CityBridge Community School Fund with $6 million in DC.
- Case advocated for civic engagement through "Be Fearless" campaign.
- Donated $5 million to National Archives for citizen archivist program.
- Supported Obama's 2008 campaign with maximum donation.
- Case Foundation invested $2 million in journalism startups.
- They funded 100 Who Cares initiative for volunteerism.
- Donated to Moravian Church and Punahou School alumni funds.
- Supported Steve Case DC Public Education Fund with millions.
- Pledged support for 1,000 Making Markets work in 2016.
- Jean and Steve Case gave $25 million to Georgetown University in 2018.
- Funded virtual volunteering during COVID-19 with $1 million.
- The Case Foundation partnered with LEGO for girls in STEM.
- Donated $1 million to World Central Kitchen post-Maui fires.
- Supported Newseum with $25 million anchor gift.
- Case advocated for Measurement Month to track social impact.
- Funded 50-state Making Good tour for social innovation.
- Gave to Capital Area Food Bank with matching challenges.
- The Cases support Memorial Day Foundation concerts.
- Invested in education equity via Turnaround for Children.
- Pledged $2 million to COVID-19 relief for DC nonprofits.
- Supported Tech Impact Awards for edtech.
- Case Foundation launched MoonshotCHALLENGE for lunar economy.
- Donated to Hurricane Maria relief in Puerto Rico $1M.
- Funded Shape Your City app for civic participation.
Philanthropy Interpretation
Steve Case approaches philanthropy with the strategic rigor of a tech mogul and the earnest zeal of a true believer, funding everything from local school lunches to lunar economies in a well-documented quest to build a more engaged and equitable society.
Post-AOL Ventures
- Case co-founded Revolution LLC in 2005 with $100 million investment.
- Revolution invested in 100+ startups in "Rise of the Rest" initiative.
- Case led investment in Sweetgreen, which went public in 2021.
- He invested in Zipcar, acquired by Avis for $500 million in 2013.
- Revolution's portfolio includes Tempus, valued at $8 billion in 2022.
- Case backed Honest Company, founded by Jessica Alba, IPO in 2021.
- He co-founded Upromise in 2001 for college savings, acquired by Sallie Mae.
- Case invested in LivingSocial, which raised $1 billion at peak.
- Revolution launched Rise of the Rest bus tour in 2014, visiting 30+ cities.
- Case's firm invested in Oscar Health, valued at $3.2 billion in 2021.
- He supported Clearballot for election tech in 2008.
- Revolution Growth fund raised $150 million for DC startups in 2011.
- Case invested in Framebridge for custom framing, raised $45 million.
- He backed Pineapple for insurance tech, raised $150 million Series C.
- Case co-authored "The Rise of the Rest" book in 2019 on startups outside Silicon Valley.
- Revolution invested in 40 startups in Midwest and South by 2020.
- Steve Case launched Rise of the Rest Seed Fund with $150 million in 2022.
- Revolution invested in Carvana, which went public with $1.6B raise.
- Case backed Blueprint Technologies for government tech.
- He invested in Mark43 for public safety software, raised $250M.
- Revolution supported Aurora Flight Sciences, acquired by Boeing.
- Case's firm funded CloudMedx for healthcare AI.
- Invested in Synapse for banking tech, valued at $1B unicorn.
- Revolution backed MissionWired for political tech.
- Case supported Grove Collaborative IPO in 2022.
- He invested in Payoff for personal finance, acquired by Happy Money.
- Revolution's portfolio has 200+ investments totaling $2B+ deployed.
- Case co-founded Startups.com platform for entrepreneurs.
Post-AOL Ventures Interpretation
Steve Case has built a venture capital empire not by chasing Silicon Valley unicorns, but by meticulously planting a sprawling forest of startups across America, proving that great ideas and a $2 billion checkbook can grow just about anywhere.
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