Joshua Kushner

Joshua Kushner was born on June 12, 1985, in Livingston, New Jersey. He was raised in a Jewish family by parents Charles and Seryl Kushner. Kushner pursued higher education at Harvard College, graduating in 2008, and obtained an MBA from Harvard Business School in 2011.

During his undergraduate studies, Kushner served as the founding executive editor of Scene, a student publication focused on pop culture. The publication received negative reviews from critics upon its initial release. In his junior year, he collaborated with two graduate students to establish Vostu, a social networking company aimed at Latin American markets. The startup sought to provide an alternative to Facebook, emphasizing growth opportunities in regions where internet use was increasing rapidly. Vostu laid off most of its employees in 2013 following a copyright lawsuit from a competitor accusing it of copying games.

In the year following his graduation, Kushner co-founded Unithrive, a peer-to-peer loan platform designed to help students cover college expenses by connecting them with alumni lenders. The platform allowed students to post personal information and request interest-free loans of up to $2,000, repayable within five years of graduation.

Kushner initially worked at Goldman Sachs in the private equity division, focusing on distressed debt for one year after completing his MBA.

In 2010, Kushner founded Thrive Capital, a venture capital firm investing primarily in media and internet sectors. Since its inception, Thrive Capital has raised over $7.3 billion from institutional investors, including Princeton University. The firm’s fundraising efforts included several successively larger funds: Thrive II ($40 million in 2011), Thrive III ($150 million in 2012), Thrive IV ($400 million in 2014), Thrive V ($700 million in 2016), Thrive VI ($1 billion in 2018), Thrive VII ($2 billion in 2021), Thrive VIII ($3 billion in 2022), and Thrive IX ($5 billion in 2024).

Kushner was notably an early investor in Instagram, participating in its Series B funding round. Following Facebook's acquisition of Instagram, the valuation of Thrive Capital increased significantly. He has been recognized in several lists highlighting young influential entrepreneurs, including Forbes’ 30 Under 30, Inc. magazine’s 35 Under 35, Crain’s 40 Under 40, and Vanity Fair’s Next Establishment. In 2021, Bloomberg reported that Goldman Sachs invested in Thrive Capital at a valuation of $3.6 billion. Kushner sold a 3.3% stake in Thrive, resulting in a valuation of approximately $5.3 billion, with notable investors such as Bob Iger and Henry Kravis participating. As of September 2024, Forbes estimated his net worth at approximately $3.8 billion, primarily derived from his ownership stake in Thrive.

Kushner is also a co-founder and vice-chairman of Oscar Health, a health insurance startup established in 2012. Oscar was valued at $2.7 billion in 2016 and went public in 2021. His investment in Oscar includes a stake valued at over $1.2 billion. The company reported a loss of $87 million in its first quarter as a publicly traded entity. In 2020, it was reported that Jared Kushner, Joshua’s brother, contracted Oscar Health to develop a COVID-19 testing website, which was ultimately scrapped.

In 2015, Kushner, his brother Jared Kushner, and Ryan Williams co-founded Cadre, a real estate investment platform targeting institutional clients such as endowments and family offices. Williams serves as the company’s CEO.

Although Kushner owns a 50% interest in JK2 (also known as Westminster Management), he is not involved in its operations. The company has faced legal issues, including a 2021 court ruling finding widespread violations of Maryland consumer protection laws related to debt collection practices, tenant fees, and property conditions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, JK2 filed numerous lawsuits against tenants for debt and eviction, despite eviction moratoriums. The company was featured in a Netflix series, "Dirty Money," in an episode addressing allegations of tenant abuse and mismanagement.

Kushner became a minority owner of the Memphis Grizzlies in 2019, holding a 2.5% stake. In 2024, he purchased a stake in the Miami Heat and sold his interest in the Memphis team.

In 2024, Kushner's media company, Bedford Media, announced plans to revive "Life" magazine, with an initial print issue scheduled for early 2025. He also joined the board of directors of A24 Films in the same year.

Regarding personal life, Kushner married model Karlie Kloss in 2018. The couple has two sons, born in March 2021 and July 2023, and a daughter born in September 2025. In December 2020, they purchased a residence in Miami, Florida, for $23.5 million. In 2021, they acquired a 7,200-square-foot penthouse in the Puck Building in Manhattan for $35 million. In August 2024, they bought the Wave House in Malibu, California, for $29.5 million.

In late 2023 and early 2024, Kushner was mentioned in a Washington Post article concerning a WhatsApp group chat involving business leaders discussing narratives related to Israel and Hamas. A spokesperson stated that Kushner did not participate in the group chat.