Reid Hoffman Steps Down from Microsoft's Board to Focus on AI Startup Manus

Reid Hoffman, a veteran tech entrepreneur and investor, is stepping down from Microsoft's board of directors, the company announced Thursday. Hoffman's departure marks the end of a decade-long tenure on the board, which he joined in 2016 after Microsoft acquired his company LinkedIn for $26.2 billion. Hoffman played a significant role in Microsoft's AI investments during his time on the board.

In 2019, he was part of the decision to invest $1 billion in OpenAI, a company he had originally invested in and served on its board until 2023. He also oversaw Microsoft's $650 million deal with Inflection AI, a startup he co-founded, which led to the hiring of Inflection's co-founder Mustafa Suleyman. Hoffman's next venture is Manus, an AI-powered drug discovery company he co-founded and serves as chairman of the board.

Manus raised over $50 million in seed funding last year, with backing from General Catalyst. While Hoffman is not the CEO – that role belongs to Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee, a physician, biologist, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author – he is excited to devote more time to the startup.

"One of the things I realized over the last month was that, we're seeing such progress with Manus. I need to get back to founder mode," he said on a recent episode of his "Possible" podcast with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. Hoffman believes Manus is making significant progress on "Move 37" AI, a type of artificial intelligence that can surpass human creativity in chemistry, particularly in the fight against cancer.

As he shifts his focus to Manus, Hoffman is eager to drive innovation in the field of drug discovery and make a meaningful impact on human health. With his departure from Microsoft's board, Hoffman is set to take a more active role in shaping the future of Manus. His experience as an entrepreneur, investor, and AI expert will likely be invaluable to the startup as it continues to push the boundaries of AI-powered drug discovery.