What is Garrett Camp's Net Worth?
Garrett Camp is a Canadian businessman and entrepreneur with a net worth of $3.5 billion. He initially earned wealth as the co-founder of StumbleUpon, a web-discovery tool, and became a multi-billionaire through his work at Uber. In addition to these ventures, Camp founded Expa, a startup studio, and serves as the chairman of Mix, the successor of StumbleUpon.
At Uber's peak valuation, Garrett's net worth reached $6 billion. However, on the day Uber went public in May 2019, his net worth was approximately $3.4 billion.
Early Life and Education
Garrett Camp was born on October 4, 1978, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. His mother was an artist and his father an economist. He attended the University of Calgary, earning a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering in 2001 and a master's degree in software engineering later.
StumbleUpon
In late 2001, while attending graduate school, Camp co-founded StumbleUpon with Geoff Smith, Justin LaFrance, and Eric Boyd. As the first web-discovery platform, it used collaborative filtering to create virtual communities of web users. StumbleUpon relocated to San Francisco in 2006 after obtaining funding from notable investors like Brad O'Neill, Tim Ferriss, Mitch Kapor, and Ram Shriram. eBay purchased the platform for $75 million in 2007, but Camp and his investors bought it back in 2009.
Under Camp's leadership, StumbleUpon expanded to include mobile app discovery and social networking. He grew the company to over 100 employees and more than 25 million users before stepping down as CEO in 2012. After re-acquiring StumbleUpon in 2015, the platform was shut down in 2018, with user accounts transitioning to Mix.com, a new web-discovery tool created through Expa.
Uber
While serving as CEO of StumbleUpon in early 2009, Camp co-founded Ubercab with Travis Kalanick. Uber aimed to provide affordable transportation services and was rebranded as Uber. Initially launched in San Francisco in mid-2010 with just a few cars, Uber raised over $1 million in venture capital by the end of the year. Over the next few years, the company expanded substantially and introduced services like UberX, Uber SUV, and UberTAXI. The most notable development came in early 2013, when the ride-sharing service was launched, allowing individuals to become drivers using the Uber app.
(Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images)
Expa
In 2013, Camp founded the startup studio Expa, leveraging his extensive experience with startups. Expa helps create and launch new companies by providing capital, technical advice, and workspaces. In early 2014, Expa raised $50 million, followed by $100 million a few years later. Notable companies launched through Expa include Mix, Haus, and Cmd.
Eco
Camp also created a cryptocurrency named Eco, designed to be environmentally friendly. Unlike other cryptocurrencies, Eco aims to be energy-efficient in both token generation and transaction verification processes.
Philanthropy
Camp is also involved in philanthropy. He joined the Giving Pledge, an initiative by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett encouraging wealthy individuals to donate the majority of their wealth to charitable causes. Camp also founded the Camp Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports research in sustainability, environmental conservation, and infrastructure.
Controversy
Camp has faced controversy, mainly due to Uber's treatment of its labor force. The criticism intensified in 2019 when Camp bought a $72.5 million mansion in Beverly Hills, sparking protests from activists and Uber employees demanding better working conditions.
