Early Life and Education
David Ross Cheriton was born on March 29, 1951, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He was the third of six children. His family relocated to Edmonton, Alberta, where he attended public schools. Cheriton demonstrated an early aptitude for mathematics and science. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from the University of British Columbia in 1973. He pursued graduate studies at the University of Waterloo, earning a Master of Science in 1974 and a Ph.D. in computer science in 1978.
Rise to Success
Cheriton's career took off when he joined Stanford University's faculty in 1981. He is a distributed computing and computer networking expert who founded and invested in technology companies. His most significant early investment was in Google in 1998, providing $100,000 in seed funding. This investment, along with his co-founding role in Arista Networks, significantly contributed to his wealth. He also co-founded Granite Systems, which was later acquired by Cisco Systems.
Key Business Strategies
Cheriton is known for his sharp insights into identifying and capitalizing on market opportunities. He has a knack for recognizing the potential of emerging technologies and backing the right teams. His early investment in Google reflects his foresight. He also co-founded Arista Networks, contributing to cloud networking. Despite his wealth, Cheriton maintains a frugal lifestyle, which has allowed him to reinvest in ventures and support educational initiatives. He is often quoted as having a "cheap bastard" mentality.
Philanthropy
Cheriton is a committed philanthropist, focusing on education. He donated $25 million in Google stock to the University of Waterloo in 2005, leading to the renaming of the School of Computer Science in his honor. He has also contributed to the University of British Columbia and Stanford University to fund scholarships, research, and educational initiatives. Cheriton views philanthropy as an investment in the future, particularly in education.