Gregory Waldorf

In 1994, Greg Waldorf and five fellow students from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business set out to bridge the economic divide between East Palo Alto and Silicon Valley. Working with community leaders in East Palo Alto, they created Start Up, a nonprofit micro-enterprise initiative that encourages local residents to develop and operate small businesses.

“When I moved to Palo Alto in 1992, East Palo Alto had the highest per-capita murder rate in the U.S. We wanted to figure out a way to help the residents of EPA,” Greg says.  “Today, Start Up does a wonderful job of helping individuals to help themselves, their families, and their community.”

That first foray into creating a nonprofit wasn’t Greg’s first start-up. As a high school student, he created his own computer consulting firm, which he continued to operate for eight years. Today, he’s a venture capitalist and entrepreneur, and his philanthropy focuses on education, free societies, and economic opportunity.

In 1999, he joined SV2, the Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund, CFSV’s venture philanthropy giving circle. The following year, Greg created a donor-advised fund at the Community Foundation.

“The Community Foundation’s donor services team has helped me to simplify the management of my philanthropic giving,” he says.  

Building a stronger Silicon Valley requires “continuing the tradition of innovation which generates economic opportunity and a good quality of life for its residents,” Greg says.