Billionaires and Business Leaders Backing Kamala Harris

Harris also hosted a fundraiser in San Francisco on Sunday, which attracted some big names in business and raised $13 million, The New York Times reported. It was also an opportunity for her to mend what, at times, has been a tense relationship between the tech community and President Joe Biden.

Along with Silicon Valley moguls, Harris also has been picking up support from business leaders and billionaires. Here are some of those who want to see Harris become president.

Sheryl Sandberg

The former Meta and Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg in July endorsed Harris for president on social media.

In an Instagram post, Sandberg said she was thrilled to support the vice president.

“@kamalaharris has already made history once — becoming the first Black and South Asian woman to hold her office, and she will do it again in November,” Sandberg wrote.

“She is an accomplished leader, a fierce advocate of abortion rights, and the strongest candidate to lead our country forward,” she added.

Reed Hastings

Netflix’s cofounder Reed Hastings is supporting Harris’ presidential bid with a $7 million donation.

He told The Information it was the largest donation he’d made to a single candidate.

Hastings didn’t immediately endorse Harris after Biden ended his run and backed his vice president. Shortly after Biden’s announcement on Sunday, he posted on X: “Dem delegates need to pick a swing state winner.”

Ron Conway

The Silicon Valley “super angel” investor Ron Conway has also backed Harris’ presidential run.

In an X post, Conway called her “a fighter, a leader, and an advocate for the tech ecosystem.”

“The tech community must come together to defeat Donald Trump and save our democracy by uniting behind Vice President @KamalaHarris as the Democratic nominee for President,” he said.

George Soros and Alex Soros

Alex Soros, the son of the legendary investor George Soros and head of Soros Fund Management, has also called for Democrats to rally around Harris.

“It’s time for us all to unite around Kamala Harris and beat Donald Trump,” he posted in July on X. “She is the best and most qualified candidate we have. Long live the American Dream!”

A spokesperson for George Soros told The Wall Street Journal that he also supported Harris.

Melinda French Gates

Melinda French Gates, a billionaire philanthropist and Bill Gates’ ex-wife, publicly endorsed Harris in late July.

She said in an X post: “I am proud to support Vice President Harris. During her years in the White House, she has proven that she knows how to lead through crises while pushing for the change we need.”

Reid Hoffman

LinkedIn cofounder and PayPal mafia member Reid Hoffman has joined the ranks of pro-Harris business execs.

In a post on X, he said: “The Biden-Harris administration has put this country on the right track. It’s time for us to unite. I wholeheartedly support Kamala Harris and her candidacy for President of the United States in our fight for democracy in November.”

Hoffman is also planning to host or cohost a fundraiser for Harris, “as soon as September,” The Information reported, citing a person close to him.

He was also a chair of the Sunday fundraising event for Harris in San Francisco, NYT reported.

Barack and Michelle Obama

Barack Obama formally endorsed Harris in a post in late July.

The former president and his wife held off endorsing Harris for a time, even while many other leading Democrats went ahead.

In a post shared on social media, Obama said: “Earlier this week, Michelle and I called our friend Kamala Harris. We told her we think she’ll make a fantastic President of the United States, and that she has our full support. At this critical moment for our country, we’re going to do everything we can to make sure she wins in November. We hope you’ll join us.”

After exiting the White House, the Obamas made shrewd moves in the media world by setting up their own company. They proved their business credentials by signing a lucrative production deal with Netflix and securing a podcast deal with Amazon-backed Audible.

The pair also make money from their bestselling books, which has significantly boosted their net worth.

Tom Steyer

Billionaire climate investor and activist Tom Steyer also publicly endorsed Harris in late July.

In an X post, Steyer wrote, “I’ve known Vice President Harris for over 15 years and have watched as she defended the rule of law, advanced real freedom, and delivered hard fought results.”

John Doerr

John Doerr, tech investor and chairman of venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins, served as one of the chairs of Harris’ Silicon Valley fundraiser on Sunday.

Doerr, an early supporter of Harris, has also endorsed several of her previous campaigns. He raised money to support her presidential bid ahead of the 2020 election, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Jeffrey Katzenberg

Jeffrey Katzenberg, former president of Walt Disney Studios, was also seen at Sunday’s San Francisco fundraiser. The media executive, who was a national cochair for Biden’s campaign, praised Biden for his “selfless” decision to resign from the presidential race and endorsed Harris in an op-ed in The New York Times.

“Again and again, she has been underestimated,” Katzenberg wrote. “Again and again, she has triumphed.”

“The vice president has won almost every election she’s ever competed in. She has spent an entire lifetime winning,” he added. “I couldn’t be more confident that this November will be no different.”

Steve Spinner

Angel investor Steve Spinner, who also previously was a fundraiser for former President Barack Obama’s campaign in 2008, also endorsed Harris along with over 350 other former national security leaders in an open letter.

During Harris’ Sunday fundraiser, Spinner said that the positive reception Harris received reminded him of Obama’s kickoff finance event in 2007, The New York Times reported.

“There was a lot of love in that room,” he reportedly said.