Eric Schmidt
Eric Schmidt is a renowned technologist, entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist best known as the former CEO and Chairman of Google, where he led the company’s transformation from a Silicon Valley startup into a global technology leader. During his tenure, he scaled Google’s infrastructure to serve billions of users, expanded into products such as Android, Gmail, and Google Maps, and preserved its culture of innovation. He later served as Executive Chairman and Technical Advisor to Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company, advising on technology strategy, business development, and global policy. Beyond Google, Schmidt is the Founding Partner and General Partner at Innovation Endeavors, an early-stage venture capital firm that has backed companies like Uber, SoFi, Formlabs, and Planet. Widely honored throughout his career, he continues to support organizations and initiatives focused on science, technology, education, and public policy.
Eric Schmidt Professional Experience / Academic History
Professional Experience
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Founding Partner
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Executive Chairman and Technical Advisor
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CEO and Chairman
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Chief Technology Officer
Academic History
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Ph.D., Computer Science
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M.S., Computer Science
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B.S., Electrical Engineering
Eric Schmidt joined Google in 2001, partnering with co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin to transform the company from a Silicon Valley startup into a global technology powerhouse.
As CEO, he scaled Google’s infrastructure to serve billions of users, expanded its product portfolio beyond search, and guided its long-term business and technical strategy.
He later served as Executive Chairman of Google until 2015 and as Executive Chairman of Alphabet from 2015 to 2018, before continuing as Technical Advisor to the company’s leadership.
EARLY TECH CAREER
Before Google, Schmidt was Chairman and CEO of Novell and Chief Technology Officer at Sun Microsystems, where he played a key role in developing Java.
Earlier in his career, he worked on advanced computing research with Xerox PARC, Bell Labs, and Zilog, building the technical foundation that shaped his future leadership.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Trustee, Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton University
Board Member, The Broad Institute
Board of Trustee, Mayo Clinic
Board of Overseer, Cornell Tech
Commissioner, National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology
Chairman, National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence
RECOGNITIONS
2017 Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service
PHILANTHROPY
A committed philanthropist, Schmidt co-founded Schmidt Futures, an initiative that invests in exceptional talent to solve global challenges.
In 2021, he launched the Special Competitive Studies Project, a nonprofit focused on America’s AI and technology leadership in national security, economics, and society.
In 2024, Eric and his wife Wendy founded Schmidt Sciences, funding unconventional and groundbreaking areas of scientific and technological exploration.
Through the Schmidt Family Foundation, they support climate change initiatives, ocean research, and sustainability.
Together, they pledged a $1 billion philanthropic commitment to identify and empower innovators worldwide.
MEDIA PRESENCE
Schmidt is a frequent voice in leading media outlets including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Bloomberg, Forbes, CNBC, Wired, Fortune, BBC, and Business Insider.
He is also a bestselling author of four major works: The New Digital Age (2013), How Google Works (2014), Trillion Dollar Coach (2019), and The Age of AI: And Our Human Future (2021), co-authored with Henry Kissinger and Daniel Huttenlocher.
His writing explores the intersection of technology, business, leadership, and global change.