The Marc Benioff Story : Building Empires and Changing Lives
Biography of Marc Benioff
Early Life and Education
Born on September 25, 1964, in San Francisco, California,
Marc Russell Benioff was raised in the affluent town of Hillsborough. Growing
up in a Jewish family, he was exposed to a diverse cultural environment. His
grandfather, Marvin Lewis, was instrumental in local governance and advocacy,
notably contributing to the establishment of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)
system.
Benioff completed his high school education at Burlingame
High School in 1982. He then pursued a Bachelor of Science in Business
Administration from the University of Southern California (USC), graduating in
1986. During his time at USC, he was an active member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon
fraternity, which helped him build valuable networks.
Early Entrepreneurial Ventures
At the age of 15, Benioff founded Liberty Software, where he
developed and sold games like "Flapper" and "King Arthur's
Heir" for the Atari 8-bit. The royalties from these ventures helped
finance his college education. During his time at USC, he secured an internship
as a programmer at Apple, where he honed his skills writing assembly code for
the Macintosh.
Career at Oracle
After graduating, Benioff joined Oracle Corporation, where
he worked for 13 years in various roles, including sales, marketing, and
product development. At 23, he was recognized as Oracle's Rookie of the Year,
and by 26, he became the youngest vice president in the company's history.
Founding Salesforce
In 1999, Benioff co-founded Salesforce in a San Francisco
apartment, introducing the concept of cloud-based software with the slogan
"The End of Software." This vision disrupted the traditional software
industry and positioned Salesforce as a leader in customer relationship
management (CRM) solutions. Under his leadership, Salesforce has grown to
become one of the largest employers in San Francisco and the anchor tenant of
Salesforce Tower, the city's tallest building.
Philanthropy and Social Impact
Benioff established the Salesforce Foundation in 1999,
pioneering the "1-1-1" model of philanthropy, which dedicates 1% of
employee time, 1% of product, and 1% of revenue to charitable causes. This
model has inspired thousands of companies worldwide through the Pledge 1%
movement.
Over the years, Benioff and his wife, Lynne, have made
substantial donations to various causes. They donated $275 million to UCSF
Children's Hospital and funded research initiatives at Stanford University and
the University of California, San Francisco. In 2016, they pledged $10 million
to establish the Benioff Ocean Initiative at the University of California at
Santa Barbara.
The Marc Benioff Story : Building Empires and Changing Lives / Biography of Marc Benioff /Marc Benioff#age#net worth#investor#startup#entrepreneur
Acquisition of Time Magazine
In September 2018, Marc and Lynne Benioff acquired Time
magazine for $190 million, marking a significant move into the media industry.
Benioff serves as the co-chair of Time, focusing on revitalizing the brand and
expanding its digital presence.
Investments through TIME Ventures
Benioff founded TIME Ventures, a venture capital firm that
has invested in over 200 companies. Notable investments include cybersecurity
firm Wiz, which was acquired by Google for $32 billion, yielding a $600 million
return for Salesforce. Other investments span various sectors, including AI,
climate technology, and healthcare. Benioff's investment philosophy emphasizes
supporting visionary founders and innovative solutions.
Real Estate Investments in Hawaii
Benioff has quietly acquired over 600 acres of land in
Hawaii, primarily near the town of Waimea on the Big Island. As of February
2024, he had spent $24.5 million on these properties. In March 2024, he donated
$150 million to Hawaii medical organizations to build additional facilities and
link the Hawaii Pacific Health system with other local hospitals. He has also
given away nearly 75% of the land he purchased, including 440 acres to the
non-profit Hawaii Island Community Development Corporation.
Personal Life
Marc Benioff is married to Lynne Benioff, and they have two
children. The family resides in San Francisco, California, and is actively
involved in various philanthropic endeavors. Benioff is a second cousin of
showrunner and television writer David Benioff, known for "Game of
Thrones."
Recent Developments
In September 2025, Benioff sold 2,250 shares of Salesforce
stock valued at approximately $546,547. This sale was part of a pre-arranged
trading plan and reflects his ongoing involvement in the company's financial
activities.
Conclusion
Marc Benioff's journey from a young entrepreneur to a global tech leader and philanthropist underscores his commitment to innovation, social responsibility, and community engagement. Through his ventures, investments, and charitable efforts, he continues to shape the future of technology and society.
