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Shear

Emmett Shear

entrepreneurtechnologyventure capitalist

Emmett Shear is a technology entrepreneur and investor known for founding the video game streaming platform Twitch, which he sold to Amazon in 2014 for nearly one billion dollars. Shear was born and raised in Toronto, Canada, and graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in Computer Science. He started his career as a software engineer at Microsoft in 2000 and then later founded Kiko Software, a web calendar company, in 2005.

Shear is most well-known for founding Twitch, a live-streaming video platform focused on video gaming, in 2011. At the time, the idea of streaming video games was relatively new, and Shear was ahead of the curve in recognizing the potential of this technology. Twitch soon became one of the most popular streaming services, and in 2014, Shear sold it to Amazon for nearly one billion dollars. After the sale, Shear remained as CEO of Twitch until 2017, when he stepped down to become an investor and advisor.

Since then, Shear has been involved in several other ventures. He is currently the co-founder and CEO of a venture capital firm, Invested Development. He is also a partner of the venture capital firm Foundation Capital and sits on the board of several technology companies, including Reddit and Stack Overflow.

Shear is an outspoken advocate for the video game industry and has been featured in various publications, including Forbes, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. He has also been honored with numerous awards and distinctions, including being named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in 2015 and one of Fortune magazine's 40 Under 40 in 2016.

In addition to his business accomplishments, Shear is an active philanthropist. He is a board member of the Video Game History Foundation and has donated millions of dollars to various charities, including the American Red Cross and the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Emmett Shear is an inspiring entrepreneur and leader in the technology industry. His accomplishments are unparalleled, and his impact on the industry is undeniable. He is an example of what hard work and determination can achieve, inspiring many aspiring entrepreneurs.

Shear is also an active investor in the gaming industry, having invested in several gaming-related companies, including Super Evil Megacorp and Unity Technologies. He is also the founder of the gaming investment fund Game Ventures, which invests in early-stage gaming startups. He has also been involved in numerous gaming conferences and events, including the annual TwitchCon, which is a celebration of the gaming community. Shear is a strong believer in the potential of the gaming industry and continues to be an advocate for the industry.