Alexis Ohanian

Alexis Ohanian
Born	Alexis Kerry Ohanian 24 4, 1983
Birthplace	New York City, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Entrepreneur, investor
Known for	Co-founding Reddit, founding Seven Seven Six
Spouse(s)	Serena Williams (m. 2017)
Children	2

Alexis Kerry Ohanian (born April 24, 1983) is an American internet entrepreneur and investor who co-founded the social news aggregation and discussion platform Reddit, one of the most visited websites in the world. Together with college roommate Steve Huffman, Ohanian launched the site in 2005 after the pair were accepted into the first class of the startup accelerator Y Combinator. Beyond Reddit, Ohanian has built a career spanning technology entrepreneurship, venture capital, and advocacy for internet freedom and women's sports. He co-founded the social enterprise Breadpig, helped launch the travel search website Hipmunk, and co-founded the early-stage venture capital firm Initialized Capital. He later founded Seven Seven Six, a venture capital fund focused on early-stage technology investments. Ohanian is also recognized for his public advocacy on issues including net neutrality and open internet policy, and more recently for his investments in and promotion of women's professional sports. He is the author of Without Their Permission: How the 21st Century Will Be Made, Not Managed, published in 2013. Ohanian is married to tennis champion Serena Williams, and the couple have two daughters.

Early Life

Alexis Kerry Ohanian was born on April 24, 1983, in New York City. He is of Armenian and German descent. His father, Chris Ohanian, is an Armenian American, and his mother, Anke, was of German heritage. Ohanian grew up in the suburbs of the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area, where he developed an early interest in technology and the internet.

Ohanian's mother was diagnosed with brain cancer, an experience that had a significant impact on him personally and shaped his perspective on life and career priorities. The experience of watching his mother battle a terminal illness influenced his determination to pursue meaningful work rather than follow a conventional career path.

Ohanian has spoken publicly about a pivotal moment early in his adult life when he decided to abandon plans for law school. According to an account published in Fortune, Ohanian walked out of the LSAT approximately 20 minutes into the exam, went to a Waffle House, and decided he was going to "invent a career" rather than pursue a legal profession. This decision set the stage for his eventual entry into the technology startup world, a path that would lead to the creation of Reddit, which as of 2026 is valued at more than $40 billion.

Education

Ohanian attended the University of Virginia, where he studied commerce and history. It was at the university that he met Steve Huffman, who would become his co-founder at Reddit. The two were roommates and bonded over their shared interest in technology and startups. Ohanian graduated from the University of Virginia and, after briefly considering law school — a plan he abandoned after walking out of the LSAT — he turned his attention to entrepreneurship in the technology sector.

Career

Reddit

In 2005, Ohanian and his University of Virginia roommate Steve Huffman applied to the startup accelerator Y Combinator, which was then in its inaugural batch. The pair were accepted and, with guidance from Y Combinator co-founder Paul Graham, developed the concept for Reddit — a social news website where users could submit, vote on, and discuss links and content. Reddit launched in June 2005 and quickly grew in popularity, becoming one of the most influential platforms on the internet.

In 2006, Reddit was acquired by Condé Nast Publications, the media company that owns titles such as Wired and The New Yorker. Following the acquisition, Ohanian departed from day-to-day operations at Reddit to pursue other projects, though he remained connected to the company. He returned to Reddit in a more active role in subsequent years, eventually serving as executive chairman. Aaron Swartz, the internet activist and programmer, also played a role in Reddit's early development and is recognized as a co-founder of the site.

In a 2026 interview with Business Insider, Ohanian stated that he does not miss being in a leadership position at Reddit, summing up his feelings in three words when asked about what he misses about leading the company. This reflected Ohanian's transition from an operational role at Reddit to his focus on venture capital and other business endeavors.

Breadpig

In 2007, Ohanian founded Breadpig, a social enterprise that he described as an "uncorporation." Breadpig produces geeky merchandise — including books, posters, and other products — and donates the profits to charitable causes. The company was one of Ohanian's early ventures outside of Reddit and reflected his interest in using business as a vehicle for social good. Breadpig worked with independent creators and contributed proceeds to organizations such as the Wikimedia Foundation and Room to Read.

Hipmunk

Ohanian was involved in the launch of Hipmunk, a travel search website co-founded by Adam Goldstein and Steve Huffman. Ohanian served as an advisor and early supporter of the company, which aimed to simplify the process of searching for flights and hotels by presenting results in a more user-friendly format than existing travel search engines. Hipmunk was backed by Y Combinator and attracted venture capital investment before eventually ceasing operations.

Y Combinator

Ohanian also served as a partner at Y Combinator, the startup accelerator that had helped launch Reddit in 2005. In this role, he mentored and advised early-stage startups, drawing on his own experience as a founder. His involvement with Y Combinator placed him at the center of the Silicon Valley startup ecosystem and allowed him to support a new generation of technology entrepreneurs.

Initialized Capital

Ohanian co-founded Initialized Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm, alongside Garry Tan. The firm focused on seed-stage investments in technology startups. Initialized Capital built a portfolio of investments across a range of sectors, and the firm's approach emphasized backing founders at the earliest stages of company development.

Seven Seven Six

Ohanian later founded Seven Seven Six (776), a venture capital fund focused on early-stage technology companies. The fund's name is a reference to the year 776 BC, traditionally considered the year of the first Olympic Games. Seven Seven Six has invested in a range of companies and sectors, and the fund has become Ohanian's primary professional focus in the years since he stepped away from Reddit.

Advocacy for Women's Sports

In more recent years, Ohanian has become a notable advocate and investor in women's professional sports. He has made investments in women's sports teams and leagues, and has spoken publicly about the business opportunity he sees in the sector. In December 2025, Time magazine recognized Ohanian as a TIME100 Impact honoree for his work in this area. In the accompanying feature, Ohanian explained how investing in women's sports became one of his most significant endeavors and argued that the industry represents a major growth opportunity.

Ohanian's interest in women's sports has been linked in part to his relationship with Serena Williams, though he has framed his involvement primarily as a business thesis, arguing that women's sports have been systematically undervalued by investors and media companies. His investments in the space have included stakes in professional teams and sports media ventures.

Internet Activism and Net Neutrality

Throughout his career, Ohanian has been an advocate for internet freedom and net neutrality. He was recognized by the Daily Dot as one of the top internet rights activists in 2012 for his efforts to oppose legislation such as the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA), which he and other technology leaders argued would harm the open internet.

Ohanian participated in campaigns to preserve net neutrality rules enforced by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). He used Reddit and other platforms to mobilize public support for net neutrality, and he was involved in a crowdfunding campaign to place a pro-net neutrality billboard near the FCC's offices in Washington, D.C.

Writing and Public Speaking

In 2013, Ohanian published his book Without Their Permission: How the 21st Century Will Be Made, Not Managed, which discussed the democratizing power of the internet and encouraged readers to use online tools to build businesses and effect change. He embarked on a national tour to promote the book, visiting universities and community events across the United States.

Ohanian has been a speaker at TED, where he has discussed topics related to technology, entrepreneurship, and internet culture. He has also given talks and participated in events organized by Inc. magazine, where he offered advice and answered questions from aspiring startup founders.

Ohanian has been involved in philanthropy and community-building efforts. He participated in a crowdfunding campaign to support Black Girls Code in New York, helping to fund programming workshops for young women of color.

Other Media Ventures

Ohanian was involved with NYRD Radio, a media project focused on nerd culture and technology. He also explored the intersection of technology and the music industry, working with platforms such as Kickstarter to demonstrate alternative models for artists and creators to fund and distribute their work.

Personal Life

Ohanian began a relationship with tennis champion Serena Williams in 2015. The couple became engaged in December 2016 and married in November 2017 in New Orleans. They have two daughters: Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., born in September 2017, and Adira River Ohanian. The family is based in Florida.

Ohanian is of Armenian descent on his father's side and has spoken about the significance of his Armenian heritage. He has visited Armenia and engaged with the Armenian diaspora community, including participating in events organized by Armenian youth organizations.

In June 2020, Ohanian resigned from the Reddit board of directors, publicly requesting that his seat be filled by a Black candidate. The move came amid nationwide protests following the murder of George Floyd and reflected Ohanian's stated commitment to addressing racial inequality in the technology industry.

Ohanian has been publicly supportive of his wife's career and has used his social media presence to advocate on her behalf. In early 2026, he responded to online critics who made false claims about Serena Williams's appearance, pushing back against speculation and racist commentary directed at her. He has also spoken out on social issues, including responding to a racist attack on footballer Vini Jr. in 2026.

Recognition

Ohanian has received recognition from multiple media outlets and organizations for his work in technology, entrepreneurship, and advocacy.

In 2012, the Daily Dot named him one of the top internet rights activists for his role in opposing SOPA and PIPA and his broader advocacy for an open internet.

In 2015, Crain's New York Business included Ohanian on its "40 Under 40" list, recognizing his contributions to the technology sector and his entrepreneurial achievements.

In December 2025, Time magazine honored Ohanian as a TIME100 Impact honoree for his advocacy and investment in women's sports, highlighting the business case he has made for the sector and the impact of his efforts on expanding opportunities for women athletes.

BusinessWeek profiled Ohanian early in his career as an emerging figure in the technology startup world.

Legacy

Ohanian's most enduring contribution to technology and internet culture is Reddit, which grew from a small project launched during the first Y Combinator batch in 2005 into one of the largest and most influential platforms on the internet. As of 2026, Reddit is a publicly traded company valued at more than $40 billion. The platform's model of user-generated content, community moderation, and voting-based content curation has influenced the design and culture of numerous subsequent online platforms.

Beyond Reddit, Ohanian's career reflects a broader pattern of engagement with issues at the intersection of technology and society. His advocacy for net neutrality placed him among the most prominent voices in the debate over internet regulation in the United States. His work with Breadpig demonstrated an early model for social enterprise in the technology sector, using the proceeds of commercial activity to fund charitable causes.

His transition from founder to venture capitalist — first at Initialized Capital and then at Seven Seven Six — positioned him as a figure in the early-stage investment landscape, backing new companies and founders. His investments in women's sports, recognized by Time magazine in 2025, represent a more recent chapter in his career, one that has drawn attention to the commercial potential of women's professional athletics.

Ohanian's decision to walk out of the LSAT and pursue entrepreneurship rather than law has become a frequently cited anecdote in the narrative of Silicon Valley founder stories, illustrating the unconventional paths that have characterized many technology entrepreneurs of his generation.