Thread by @littlemissjacob

Some of you spent Christmas dragging Sriram Krishnan through the mud without knowing a thing about him. He didn’t stumble into tech’s inner circle—he built his path, brick by brick, from India to Silicon Valley. Before you embarrass yourself further, keep reading. You might learn something. 🧵

Sriram Krishnan’s story doesn’t start in Silicon Valley. It starts in Chennai, India, where his family couldn’t afford a computer until he was 17.

When he finally got one, it cost his dad a year’s salary. Sriram taught himself to code using a pirated version of Windows.

Years later, a blog post he wrote caught the attention of a Microsoft exec visiting India.

Sriram wasn’t just invited to demo his work—he was flown out to present it in front of thousands. His first time on a plane, in a hotel, ever. Microsoft hired him on the spot.

I’m an immigrant too. I didn’t come to the U.S. because I was “smart.” My dad passed away in Mexico when I was 2, and I was adopted when my mom fell in love with an American. That’s how I got here.

Full disclosure: I’ve personally benefited from @sriramk generosity—for about 30 minutes. In 2020, when my TikTok business was thriving, he reached out with advice. No strings attached, no agenda. Just thoughtful help from someone who didn’t have to bother.

I don’t know him beyond that, but I can’t stand an internet pile-on, especially when it targets someone who’s spent their life lifting others up.

Also, full disclosure: I’m raising capital for my AI startup, Creator Genius, which helps businesses scale short-form content. I’m not tied to any VCs right now, but since I know some of you love to sleuth—there you go.

Reputation matters and I just felt like speaking up.

At Microsoft, he joined a small, secret team working under Dave Cutler—a literal tech legend who built Windows NT.

They were creating what became Azure, Microsoft’s cloud computing platform, now worth over $100B.

Every weekend, Sriram would show up just to learn from Cutler.

Sriram’s Silicon Valley journey put him at the heart of tech innovation, working alongside the industry’s powerhouses:

At Facebook, he scaled global ad systems under Sheryl Sandberg and Mark Zuckerberg.
At Twitter, Jack Dorsey tapped him to overhaul the home timeline.
At Snap, he helped redefine monetization for the next wave of social media.
He wasn’t just in the room—he was shaping the tools billions use daily.

Here’s the thing: Sriram didn’t just “work at these places.” He was the guy on the ground solving complex problems.

At Facebook, he built the systems that helped advertisers reach audiences globally. Think Facebook grew itself? Nope. People like Sriram made it happen.

At Twitter, he was leading teams during one of its toughest periods. When engagement was falling, Sriram’s team revamped the home timeline.

The changes helped reshape how people use Twitter daily. (Fun fact: If you use Twitter lists, he’s one reason you even have them.)

Today, Sriram is a General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), one of Silicon Valley’s most influential venture capital firms. He’s not just handing out checks—he’s helping founders build the next wave of tech innovations.

Take Atlys, a startup simplifying visas and travel documentation. Under Sriram’s mentorship and investment, it’s grown into a vital tool that helps streamline bureaucracy for travelers around the world.

Or consider his role supporting startups creating U.S.-based jobs in emerging markets. Sriram’s investments aren’t just about ROI—they’re about building opportunities where they’re needed most.

Beyond his VC role, Sriram co-hosts The Arty and Sriram Show with his wife, Arthy. Together, they’ve interviewed visionaries like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Naomi Osaka, creating a platform for ideas that shape the world.

The podcast isn’t just interviews—it’s a masterclass. They don’t just talk to legends; they draw out lessons that anyone can use to think bigger, act bolder, and build smarter.

youtube.com/@AarthiAndSrir…

And Sriram’s generosity goes beyond the big names. He’s known for mentoring younger entrepreneurs, lending his time, advice, and network without expecting anything in return.

The reality? Sriram Krishnan is one of those rare people in tech who builds, mentors, and creates opportunities for others—all while staying humble about where he started.

Sriram sees social media as a platform for opportunity—a place where new voices can rise. He’s supported Elon’s moves on X, not for chaos, but for the chance to disrupt old hierarchies and bring fresh talent forward.

It’s the same ethos he applies to his work: empowering founders, creating jobs, and driving innovation—especially in the U.S. From Snap to Facebook to Andreessen Horowitz, his focus has been on building platforms for others to succeed.

Before you jump on a pile-on, ask yourself: Do you really understand who you’re talking about?

A kid from Chennai, coding on a pirated PC, who made it to the inner circle of global tech. That’s the story.

Merry Christmas, you filthy animals.

I’m Ari. I’ve spent years helping businesses grow and survived a media hit job that taught me resilience under fire.

Now, I’m building Creator Genius, an AI platform helping brands scale short-form content and social media. Curious about what we’re up to? Watch the video. You can also reach out to me: genius at influences.com

Thanks for taking the time to read this thread. Conversations like this matter.

Here's the videos I clipped:
youtu.be/Mn9vzHt4kko?si…
youtu.be/eIofLAHUdwk?si…
youtu.be/jAUepa6xUf8?si…

😅🚨 Correction: Ironically, I used @ChatGPTapp to research for this thread, and it turns out it made a mistake—it can’t find anything about @sriramk using a pirated version of Microsoft. 😅 Please omit that detail from the story!

***spelling*** Aarthi sorry for the speech to text typo @aarthir

@UnrollHelper 🙏🏽

@UnrollHelper 😬