Forbes reported that venture capitalist Josh Kushner’s wealth has surged this year, helped by early bets on OpenAI, SpaceX and other prominent technology companies. Assets at Thrive Capital, the investment firm he founded, have also nearly doubled as it rode the artificial intelligence wave.
According to the report, Kushner’s fortune has risen by nearly threefold this year, putting him in the billionaire ranks. As founder of Thrive Capital, he previously generated strong returns from investments in Instagram, Spotify and OpenAI, and has become one of Silicon Valley’s more successful venture investors in recent years.
Lakers sale report surfaced on the same day as Thrive Holdings financing
On Aug. 12, a report said the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers were being sold at a record $12.5 billion valuation to former Disney CEO Bob Iger and Josh Kushner.
Kushner did not mention the Lakers transaction on social media that day. Instead, he marked another AI-related investment move.
That same day, Thrive Holdings, which Kushner founded in 2025, completed a $2 billion fundraising round. SoftBank was among the investors, and the company was valued at $12.5 billion. The company is designed to acquire traditional services businesses and use artificial intelligence to drive operational transformation.
Kushner said, 「We feel incredibly fortunate to be building in a time of such deep innovation.」
Active presence across technology and capital circles
Over the past several months, Kushner has appeared regularly at high-profile gatherings across the technology and finance worlds. In addition to continuing to back AI through Thrive Capital, he has maintained close ties with OpenAI executives.
In July this year, he attended the wedding of Taylor Swift and NFL player Travis Kelce, then appeared at the annual Sun Valley gathering of billionaires in the United States, where he was seen alongside OpenAI President Greg Brockman.
The report said market participants see venture firms with exposure to core AI assets such as OpenAI as among the main beneficiaries of the continuing investment boom in artificial intelligence. Kushner’s early positioning in the AI ecosystem has translated into a sharp increase in his personal wealth.