From the Shadow of the Death Camps to Leading Sequoia: A Family’s Journey Through Peril & Possibility (With Sir Michael Moritz)

About this episode

Sir Michael Moritz discusses his journey from a childhood shaped by history to becoming a leading figure in Silicon Valley venture capital.

Some lives trace the currents of history; a childhood in Wales, growing up in the shadow of parents who had escaped Nazi Germany, academic distinction at Oxford and Wharton, followed by a career that moved from journalism to the apex of Silicon Valley venture capital and a philanthropic record that speaks quietly, but profoundly. In this episode, we also welcome co-interviewer, Sandra Robertson, former guest and previous CIO at Oxford University Endowment Management. In this fascinating conversation Michael starts by discussing what “makes a brilliant entrepreneur”, before reflecting on investing in Stripe, why the US has such an edge in VC, and on weighing, vision valuation and imagination. He discusses allocating his own personal capital and his priorities, and then on his philanthropy and the process around identifying beneficiaries and assessing the impact of gifts made. Then we turn to Ausländer, where he fuses pathos and humour, and has created a brilliant story of his family’s destruction and part survival, and raised vital questions around antisemitism and where the storm clouds are gathering. Ausländer by Michael Moritz is published in the UK by Profile Books You can…

People in this episode

Guest: Sir Michael Moritz

Topics covered

• entrepreneurship
• venture capital
• philanthropy
• investing
• antisemitism
• family history

Keywords

• Silicon Valley
• venture capital
• philanthropy
• entrepreneur
• investing
• antisemitism
• family history
• Oxford
• journalism
• Stripe

Sponsors

Schroders, IFM Investors, World Gold Council, LSEG

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Oxford University Endowment Management, Profile Books

Books & works: Ausländer, Ausländer by Michael Moritz

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