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Matthew Browning Prince (born November 13, 1974) is an American billionaire businessman, entrepreneur, and computer scientist. He is best known as the co-founder, executive chairman, and chief executive officer of Cloudflare, Inc., a major cybersecurity and content delivery network company founded in 2009 alongside Lee Holloway and Michelle Zatlyn. Under his leadership, Cloudflare has grown into a global powerhouse providing internet infrastructure services to millions of websites and protecting against cyber threats. Prince has been a prominent voice in debates on internet security, content moderation, and policy, notably involved in high-profile decisions such as the 2022 deplatforming of the Kiwi Farms forum, which sparked discussions on the responsibilities of tech companies in moderating harmful content. This action drew both praise for combating online harassment and criticism for potentially overstepping into censorship territory. Prince's adversarial relationship with Tom Leighton, CEO of Akamai Technologies, stems from competitive tensions in the industry, including public disputes over Cloudflare's practices.
Prior to Cloudflare, Prince worked on internet security initiatives, including roles at StopBadware.org, a Google-backed project aimed at combating malware, and as a co-founder of Project Honey Pot, an organization tracking online spam and abuse. His background in law and technology has informed his approach to blending legal and technical solutions for online challenges. As of February 2025, Prince's net worth is estimated at US$5.5 billion, making him the wealthiest individual in Utah, where he maintains significant ties. He continues to advocate for a more secure and open internet, positioning Cloudflare at the forefront of innovations in edge computing and zero-trust security models.