John William 'Bill' Gurley (born May 10, 1966, in Council Bluffs, Iowa) is a prominent American venture capitalist known for his influential role in Silicon Valley's tech ecosystem. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Florida in 1989, where he was a walk-on basketball player, and later an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1993. After early career stints at Compaq Computer Corporation and Hummer Winblad Venture Partners, he joined Benchmark Capital as a general partner in 1999, a position he held until stepping back from active investing in 2020, though he remains affiliated with the firm. At Benchmark, he led investments in transformative companies including Uber (where he served on the board from 2010 to 2017), Zillow, OpenTable, and Grubhub. His investment philosophy emphasizes founder-centric approaches and long-term value creation, often articulated through his popular blog, 'Above the Crowd.' Beyond investing, Gurley is recognized for his thought leadership on economic and policy issues affecting the tech industry, including ride-sharing regulations and the sharing economy. He has been involved in philanthropy and advisory roles, and as of recent years resides in the San Francisco Bay Area, continuing to influence venture capital through mentorship and writings.