Josh Kushner: Remarkable Rise in Venture Capital

Josh Kushner has become one of the most closely watched investors in modern venture capital. Best known as the founder of Thrive Capital, he has built his career by investing in technology companies with the potential to reshape large industries. Thrive’s portfolio has included major names such as Instagram, Spotify, Stripe and OpenAI.

His business career extends beyond traditional venture investing. He also co-founded Oscar Health, a technology-focused health insurance company, and has increasingly expanded his investment interests into media and sports. In 2026, several major developments brought Kushner and Thrive Capital even more attention, including a new multibillion-dollar investment fund and a proposed acquisition of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Quick Bio

Early Life and Education

Josh Kushner was born in 1985 and grew up in a family already well known in American business. His father, Charles Kushner, built a large real estate business, while his older brother, Jared Kushner, later became involved in business and government. Josh, however, developed a professional identity that became increasingly associated with technology and venture capital.

He attended Harvard College and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in Government. He later attended Harvard Business School, completing his MBA in 2011. His university years placed him in an environment where entrepreneurship, technology and investment increasingly became central to his professional ambitions.

Career Start and the Creation of Thrive Capital

A major turning point in Josh Kushner’s career came when he founded Thrive Capital in 2009. The New York-based venture capital company was established when he was still in his twenties. At a time when much of the American venture capital industry was strongly associated with Silicon Valley, Thrive developed its investment operation from New York.

The firm began with a much smaller pool of capital than it manages today. Over time, Kushner and his investment team built a reputation for identifying promising technology businesses and maintaining relationships with companies as they grew. The success of several early investments helped give Thrive greater credibility among founders and institutional investors.

Thrive Capital and Its Investment Strategy

Thrive Capital became the business most closely associated with Josh Kushner. Its investment history includes companies operating across consumer technology, financial technology, software and artificial intelligence. Well-known portfolio companies have included Instagram, Spotify, Stripe and OpenAI.

One characteristic of Thrive’s strategy has been its willingness to make significant investments in companies it believes can become long-term industry leaders. Instead of limiting itself to very small early-stage investments, the firm has increasingly participated in larger growth-stage transactions. This approach has allowed Thrive to continue backing selected companies as they expand.

Major Technology Investments

One of the investments that helped establish Thrive’s reputation was Instagram. Thrive invested in the photo-sharing company shortly before Facebook agreed to acquire Instagram in 2012. The transaction became an important early example of the firm’s ability to identify a rapidly growing technology platform.

Later investments expanded Thrive’s presence across several major technology sectors. Spotify became a global force in music streaming, Stripe developed into a major payments infrastructure company, and OpenAI became one of the most influential companies in artificial intelligence. These investments helped move Thrive from a relatively small venture firm into a major participant in global technology finance.

Oscar Health and Healthcare Entrepreneurship

Josh Kushner also entered the healthcare sector by co-founding Oscar Health in October 2012. The company was created as a technology-driven health insurance business and sought to make health coverage and the customer experience easier to navigate through digital tools.

Kushner has remained connected to Oscar through its board. He has served as a director since 2012 and became Vice Chair of the board in February 2021. Oscar later became a publicly traded company, making it one of the most prominent businesses directly co-founded by Kushner outside Thrive Capital.

Growth of Thrive Capital

The scale of Thrive Capital increased considerably as its investment record developed. The company raised progressively larger pools of capital, including a $2 billion fundraising announced in 2021 and a $5 billion group of venture funds in 2024. The increasing size of its funds reflected its ability to participate in both early-stage investments and much larger transactions.

Growth accelerated again in 2026. Thrive raised approximately $10 billion for its latest group of funds, its largest fundraising to that point. The development demonstrated how far the business had grown from the relatively small venture operation established by Josh Kushner in 2009.

Artificial Intelligence and OpenAI

Artificial intelligence has become an increasingly important part of Thrive Capital’s investment strategy. OpenAI is among the most notable companies in its portfolio, placing Thrive close to one of the major businesses driving the development of generative AI.

The OpenAI investment also illustrates Thrive’s broader strategy of concentrating significant amounts of capital behind companies it believes could become important long-term platforms. As AI investment has expanded across the technology industry, Thrive’s involvement has strengthened its position among large venture investors competing for access to leading private technology businesses.

Expansion Beyond Traditional Technology

Although technology remains central to Thrive, its investment activities have begun extending into businesses and assets outside traditional venture capital. This shift suggests that Josh Kushner is interested not only in fast-growing software companies but also in established brands and institutions with long-term cultural or economic importance.

In 2026, Thrive moved further into sports-related investing. The firm pursued a minority investment in the San Francisco Giants, while its longer-term investment initiative, Thrive Eternal, was designed to pursue assets that may retain value over extended periods rather than following the normal life cycle of a traditional venture fund.

Josh Kushner and Bob Iger

Another important business relationship has developed between Josh Kushner and longtime Disney executive Bob Iger. Iger had previously been involved with Thrive and returned to the firm in an advisory role in April 2026. His role included advising on investments and working with founders in Thrive’s portfolio.

The relationship soon attracted even greater attention in the sports industry. Kushner and Iger emerged together in one of the largest proposed sports ownership transactions ever announced, demonstrating how Kushner’s investment interests were moving beyond startups and into globally recognized institutions.

Los Angeles Lakers Deal in 2026

On August 12, 2026, reports confirmed that Josh Kushner and Bob Iger had agreed to acquire the Los Angeles Lakers in a transaction valuing the NBA franchise at approximately $12.5 billion. The proposed deal immediately became major international business and sports news because of the enormous valuation attached to one of basketball’s most famous teams.

Importantly, the transaction was not yet fully completed when it was announced. The acquisition remained subject to approval from the NBA’s Board of Governors. Therefore, Kushner should not be described as the finalized controlling owner of the Lakers until the required league approval and closing process are completed.

Personal Life

Josh Kushner is married to American model and entrepreneur Karlie Kloss. The couple began dating years before announcing their engagement in 2018 and married later that year. While Kloss has a highly visible career in fashion and business, the couple generally keeps many aspects of their private family life outside Kushner’s professional investment profile.

Public interest in Kushner is also influenced by his well-known family connections. His older brother, Jared Kushner, has had prominent roles in both business and American politics. Despite those family connections, Josh has built his own professional reputation mainly through Thrive Capital, Oscar Health and technology investing.

Business Impact and Investment Reputation

Josh Kushner’s importance in venture capital comes largely from the growth of Thrive and the companies it has backed. The firm’s investments across software, payments, entertainment, artificial intelligence and other technology sectors have placed it alongside some of the most influential investment businesses operating in the startup market.

His career also illustrates how venture capital firms can evolve. Thrive began as a relatively young New York investment company but expanded into a business capable of raising multibillion-dollar funds and making large investments in globally significant companies. Its more recent expansion into sports and long-duration assets may further broaden Kushner’s influence outside technology.

Conclusion

Josh Kushner has developed a career that reaches across venture capital, healthcare, artificial intelligence and increasingly sports investment. Through Thrive Capital, he has participated in the growth of companies including Instagram, Spotify, Stripe and OpenAI, while Oscar Health provided him with direct experience as a company co-founder.

His business profile continued to expand significantly in 2026, with Thrive raising roughly $10 billion in new capital and Kushner joining Bob Iger in the proposed $12.5 billion acquisition of the Los Angeles Lakers. Whether investing in emerging technology or established global brands, his career remains closely connected to large, long-term investment opportunities.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Josh Kushner?

Josh Kushner is an American investor and entrepreneur best known for founding the venture capital firm Thrive Capital. He is also a co-founder and Vice Chair of Oscar Health.

What company did Josh Kushner found?

He founded Thrive Capital in 2009. The New York-based investment firm has backed major technology companies including Instagram, Spotify, Stripe and OpenAI.

Where did Josh Kushner study?

He attended Harvard College, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government. He later earned an MBA from Harvard Business School in 2011.

Is Josh Kushner connected to Oscar Health?

Yes. He co-founded Oscar Health in 2012 and has served on its board since that year. He became Vice Chair of the company’s board in 2021.

Who is Josh Kushner married to?

He is married to model and entrepreneur Karlie Kloss. The couple married in 2018.

Did Josh Kushner buy the Los Angeles Lakers?

Josh Kushner and Bob Iger agreed in August 2026 to acquire the Los Angeles Lakers in a deal valuing the franchise at about $12.5 billion. At the time of the announcement, however, the transaction still required approval from the NBA’s Board of Governors.