{{Short description|American businessman (born 1972)}} {{Infobox person | name = Alfred Lin | image = File:TechCrunch Disrupt San Francisco 2019 - Day 3 Alfred Lin 1 cropped.jpg | birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1972}} | birth_place = Taiwan<ref>{{cite web | url = http://meetinnovators.com/2008/12/04/alfred-lin-zappos-chairman-and-coo/ | title = Alfred Lin, Zappos Chairman and COO | date = 4 December 2008 | publisher = meet innovators | accessdate = 1 August 2014}}</ref> | spouse = Rebecca Lin | children = 1 | caption = Lin in 2019 | occupation = Partner at Sequoia Capital | known_for = | education = Harvard University (BA)<br />Stanford University (MS) }}
'''Alfred Lin''' ({{Lang-zh|c=|t=林君叡}}; born 1972) is a Taiwanese-American <!-- dual citizenship --> venture capitalist who has served as the managing partner of Sequoia Capital since 2025.<ref name=midas>Arrington, Michael [https://techcrunch.com/2009/07/28/alfred-lin-has-the-midas-touch-the-man-with-2-billion-in-acquisitions-under-his-belt "Alfred Lin Has The Midas Touch: The Man With $2 Billion In Acquisitions Under His Belt"], ''TechCrunch'', July 28, 2009.</ref><ref name=":1" /> He joined Sequoia in 2010 as partner, later taking over global investment operations alongside Pat Grady.
Lin was the COO, CFO, and chairman of online retailer Zappos from 2005 to 2010.<ref name="vbzappos">{{cite news |url=https://venturebeat.com/2010/04/09/alfred-lin-zappos-sequoia-capital/ |title=These boots are made for walking: No. 2 executive leaves Zappos |author=Manninen, JP |work=VentureBeat |date=April 9, 2010}}</ref><ref name="zappospro">{{cite web |url=http://about.zappos.com/meet-our-monkeys/alfred-lin-coo-cfo-inc |title=Alfred Lin Zappos Profile |publisher=Zappos.com}}</ref>
==Early life and education== Lin was born in Taiwan. At the age of six, his parents immigrated to the New York, where Lin attended Stuyvesant High School.<ref name=cnbczapp>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/id/20279372/I_Am_CNBC_Tony_Hsieh_Transcript |title=I Am CNBC Tony Hsieh Transcript |publisher=CNBC |date=August 15, 2007 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612154433/http://www.cnbc.com/id/20279372/I_Am_CNBC_Tony_Hsieh_Transcript |archivedate=June 12, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Alfred Lin |url=https://www.sequoiacap.com/people/alfred-lin/ |access-date=2025-08-18 |website=Sequoia Capital |language=en-US}}</ref> He then graduated from Harvard University with a bachelor's degree in applied mathematics and earned a master's degree in statistics from Stanford University.
== Career == While at Harvard, Lin met Tony Hsieh, the future CEO of Zappos.<ref name="cnbczapp" /> Hsieh first recognized Lin's business acumen while running a student-owned pizza parlor at Harvard. Lin, his best customer, was buying whole pizzas, splitting them into slices, and selling them for a profit.<ref name="cnbczapp" /> In 1996, Lin dropped out of a Ph.D. program at Stanford to join Hsieh, Sanjay Mandan, and Ali Partovi at LinkExchange as CFO.<ref name="midas" /> 18 months later LinkExchange sold to Microsoft for $265 million.<ref name="buy">{{cite web|last=Ritchie|first=Josh|title=10 Questions with Zappos COO/CFO, Alfred Lin|url=http://www.buysight.com/blog/2009/10/29/10-questions-with-zappos-coocfo-alfred-lin/|publisher=BuySight|access-date=2013-12-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101014061356/http://www.buysight.com/blog/2009/10/29/10-questions-with-zappos-coocfo-alfred-lin/|archive-date=2010-10-14|url-status=dead}}</ref> Later, before joining Zappos, Lin was the VP of Finance and Business Development of Tellme Networks (MSFT). With Tony Hsieh he also co-founded Venture Frogs, an incubator and investment firm.<ref name="asianweek">Lee, Tom.[http://asianweek.com/2000_08_10/ae1_venturefrogs.html Venture Frogs Internet Restaurant Logs on to the San Francisco Scene] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120311091517/http://asianweek.com/2000_08_10/ae1_venturefrogs.html |date=2012-03-11 }}. ''Asian Week''. August 17, 2000.</ref> Venture Frogs invested in a variety of tech and Internet startups, including Ask Jeeves, OpenTable, Tellme Networks, and Zappos.<ref name="profitmagazine">Nelson, Erik. [http://www.vfrogs.com/profit.html Venture Frogs in a Cyber-Marsh] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717194653/http://www.vfrogs.com/profit.html |date=2011-07-17 }}. ''Profit Magazine''. January 2000.</ref>
From 2005 to 2010, Lin was chairman, COO, and CFO.<ref name="nytamazon">{{cite news |author=Rich, Motoko |date=April 8, 2011 |title=Why Is This Man Smiling? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/10/fashion/10HSEIH.html |newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref> At Zappos, Lin was responsible for all financial, administrative, and warehouse operations.<ref name=venturevillage>{{cite web|last=FOWLER|first=NINA|title=VIDEO: Sequoia Capital partner Alfred Lin on Zappos, Zalando and solving hard problems|url=http://venturevillage.eu/video-alfred-lin-zappos-sequoia|publisher=Venture Village|access-date=2013-12-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214012735/http://venturevillage.eu/video-alfred-lin-zappos-sequoia|archive-date=2013-12-14|url-status=dead}}</ref> He was also responsible for company growth and scaling, bringing the company to its first profitable year in 2006 and to Amazon.com's acquisition of the company in 2009 for $1.2 billion.<ref name=tcseqcap/><ref name=nytzapp>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/23/technology/companies/23amazon.html |title=Amazon's Expanding With Deal for Zappos |author=Stone, Brad |date=July 22, 2009 |work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref name=wsjzapp>{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB124829443610573361 |title=Amazon Opens Wallet, Buys Zappos |author=Wingfield, Nick |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=July 23, 2009}}</ref><ref name=rkg>{{cite web|last=Rimm-Kaufman|first=Alan|title=Alfred Lin: Zappos At Break-even Through 2005, Profitable in '06 and '07|url=http://www.rimmkaufman.com/blog/zappos-profitability/17042008/|publisher=RKG}}</ref> According to ''TechCrunch'', "Hsieh made at least $214 million; Lin made at least $18 million, with the Venture Frogs shares netting an additional $163 million."<ref name=tcsale>{{cite news |url=https://techcrunch.com/2009/07/27/what-everyone-made-from-the-zappos-sale/ |title=What Everyone Made from the Zappos Sale |author=Lacy, Sarah |work=TechCrunch |date=July 27, 2009}}</ref>
Lin left Zappos in 2010 to join the venture capital firm Sequoia Capital as a partner.<ref name=biseqcap>{{cite news |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/techflash/2010/04/zappos_coo_lin_to_leave_for_sequoia_capital_in_2011.html |title=Zappos COO Alfred Lin to leave for Sequoia Capital in early 2011 |author=Cook, John |newspaper=Puget Sound Business Journal |date=April 9, 2010}}</ref><ref name="tcseqcap">{{cite news |url=https://techcrunch.com/2010/04/09/alfred-lin-leaves-zappos-joins-sequoia-capital/ |title=Alfred Lin To Leave Zappos, Join Sequoia Capital |author=Arrington, Michael |work=TechCrunch |date=April 9, 2010}}</ref>
=== Sequoia Capital === ''TechCrunch'' has stated that Alfred has the "Midas touch", since "every company he's worked for has been acquired, and the smallest deal was $265 million."<ref name="midas" /> Lin later helped Tellme Networks which was sold to Microsoft for $800 million.<ref name="gi">{{cite web|last=Malik|first=Om|title=Tellme Price – $800 Million, or More|url=http://gigaom.com/2007/03/12/tellme-price-800-million-or-more/|publisher=Gigaom|access-date=2014-01-01|archive-date=2014-01-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140102200956/http://gigaom.com/2007/03/12/tellme-price-800-million-or-more/|url-status=dead}}</ref> After that, Lin helped form Zappos to later be acquired by Amazon for $1.2 billion. Lin has invested in Airbnb, Achievers, Stella & Dot, Houzz, Humble Bundle, Kiwi, Romotive, Moovit, Styleseat, Uber, and Cardpool (acquired by Blackhawk Networks), AppBistro / MMTG Labs (acquired by InMobi), and SalesCrunch (acquired by ClearSlide).<ref>{{Cite web|title=InMobi Acquires MMTG Labs, The Startup Behind AppBistro And AppGalleries|url=https://techcrunch.com/2012/07/12/inmobi-buys-appbistro-appgalleries-mmtg-labs/|access-date=2020-08-28|website=TechCrunch|date=12 July 2012 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="vbuber">{{cite news |url=https://venturebeat.com/2010/10/15/ubercab-funding/ |title=UberCab raises $1.25M to end your futile search for taxis |author=Ha, Anthony |work=VentureBeat |date=October 15, 2010}}</ref><ref name="dow">{{cite web |url=http://pevc.dowjones.com/article?pid=32&an=DJFVW00020110111e71c0018j&ReturnUrl=http%3a%2f%2fpevc.dowjones.com%2farticle%3fpid%3d32%26an%3dDJFVW00020110111e71c0018j |title=SalesCrunch Gathers $1.4M From First Round, Accel And Angels |publisher=DowJones.com |date=January 12, 2011 |access-date=December 11, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213191225/http://pevc.dowjones.com/article?pid=32&an=DJFVW00020110111e71c0018j&ReturnUrl=http%3a%2f%2fpevc.dowjones.com%2farticle%3fpid%3d32%26an%3dDJFVW00020110111e71c0018j |archive-date=December 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> He specializes in consumer internet, enterprise and mobile companies.<ref name="sequoiacap1">[http://www.sequoiacap.com/us/alfred-lin "Bio: Alfred Lin"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141225155427/http://www.sequoiacap.com/us/alfred-lin |date=2014-12-25 }}, Sequoia Capital</ref>
Lin was an early investor in Zipline, a medicine drone delivery company with operations in Rwanda.<ref>{{cite news |title=Drone startup backed by Allen, Yang to deliver medical supplies in Rwanda |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/04/04/drone-plane-startup-nabs-funds-paul-allen-jerry-yang/82536598/ |date=2016}}</ref> He also invested in the Palo Alto-based security company Cobalt Robotics, and sits on its board of directors.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/cobalt-robotics-receives-13-million-series-a-1522638385|title=Cobalt Robotics Receives $13 Million Series A|date=2018-04-02|work=Wall Street Journal|access-date=2020-04-28|language=en-US|issn=0099-9660}}</ref> In 2021, Lin made a failed investment on FTX and represented Sequoia on its advisory board.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alfred Lin |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/alfred-lin/ |website=Forbes}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kokalitcheva |first=Kia |date=2023-01-13 |title=Sequoia Capital partner says firm was "misled" by FTX |url=https://www.axios.com/2023/01/13/sequoia-capital-partner-says-firm-was-misled-by-ftx |website=Axios}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Sequoia Capital's Alfred Lin in his first public interview since the implosion of FTX (video) |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/sequoia-capitals-alfred-lin-first-001048285.html |date=2023-01-13 |first=Connie |last=Loizos |website=www.yahoo.com}}</ref>
In November 2025, Lin was appointed the managing partner of Sequoia, to serve jointly with Pat Grady, succeeding Roelof Botha.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Jin |first=Peter Rudegeair and Berber |date=2025-11-04 |title=Sequoia Capital Leader Exits in VC Shake-Up |url=https://www.wsj.com/finance/investing/sequoia-capital-leader-steps-down-from-vc-giant-e599103b |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=The Wall Street Journal |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Recognition == In 2013, ''Forbes'' named Lin as one of the "30 Most Influential People in Tech".<ref name=forbestech>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/tanyaprive/2013/01/07/the-30-most-influential-people-in-tech/3/ |title=The 30 Most Influential People in Tech |author=Prive, Tanya |magazine=Forbes |date=January 7, 2013}}</ref> Lin and his work have been profiled in national publications, including ''The Wall Street Journal'', ''The New York Times'', ''Harvard Business Review'', ''Forbes'', ''BusinessWeek'', and ''Fortune'', as well as CNBC.<ref name=nytamazon/><ref name=wsj>{{cite news|last=Chapman|first=Lizette|title=VC in 2013: Sequoia's Alfred Lin on Not Lamenting the 'Series A Crunch'|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/venturecapital/2013/01/04/vc-in-2013-sequoias-alfred-lin-on-not-lamenting-the-series-a-crunch/|newspaper=Wall Street Journal}}</ref><ref name=hbs>{{cite web|last=Greene|first=Rebecca|title=Zappos Chairman Alfred Lin Asks HBS MBAs to Think Big, Follow Their Passion, and Pay Attention to Details|date=6 March 2012|url=http://www.harbus.org/2012/zappos-chairman-alfred-lin/|publisher=Harvard Business School|access-date=11 December 2013|archive-date=2 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220902035508/https://harbus.org/2012/zappos-chairman-alfred-lin/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=forbes>{{cite magazine|title=Profile: Alfred Lin|url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/alfred-lin/|magazine=Forbes}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
==External links== * [https://www.sequoiacap.com/people/alfred-lin Sequoia Capital profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lin, Alfred}} Category:American people of Taiwanese descent Category:American venture capitalists Category:Harvard University alumni Category:Amazon (company) people Category:Living people Category:Stanford University alumni Category:American chief operating officers Category:American chief financial officers Category:Midas List Category:1972 births