Steve Case

Steve Case co-founded America Online (AOL) in 1985 and built it into the dominant consumer internet service of the 1990s, introducing millions to the internet through its dial-up service. The AOL-Time Warner merger in 2001 became one of the most infamous corporate mergers in history. After leaving Time Warner, Case founded Revolution LLC to invest in technology companies in American cities outside Silicon Valley through its "Rise of the Rest" initiative. He has been a prominent advocate for spreading innovation and venture capital beyond coastal tech hubs. Revolution's Rise of the Rest Seed Fund has invested in hundreds of startups across dozens of cities, backing founders in markets from Pittsburgh to Tulsa who are building technology companies that leverage local industry expertise in healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, and logistics.