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.
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.
😅🚨 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
Fraser Bohm, 20, was driving on PCH in Malibu when he crashed. Four Pepperdine students tragically died. He was sober. No drugs, no alcohol. No prior criminal record.
Days later—L.A. DA George Gascon charged him with second-degree murder.
That’s not normal.
Bohm’s team combed through years of fatal crashes on the same stretch of highway. Drivers who were drunk, high, speeding, even fleeing scenes—none of them were charged with murder.
Many got lesser charges. Some? No charges at all. Remember Caitlyn Jenner?
The Hollywood Reporter tries to both-sides the Blake Lively vs. Justin Baldoni ordeal—while casually smearing an entire religion.
I’m sorry, you can’t accuse someone of SH bc they gave you the ick. 🧵👇🏽
THR suggests the entire controversy might be just a cultural misunderstanding. That Baldoni’s alleged behavior was simply a clash between his Baha’i faith and Hollywood’s post-MeToo workplace norms.
“Could everything that went wrong with the movie actually have been one big cultural misunderstanding?”
🤔
The piece spends an absurd amount of time dissecting Baldoni’s religion—implying his faith is somehow central to the legal battle. Yet Lively’s lawsuit doesn’t mention Baha’i at all.
🚨 Screenshots are being circulated alleging that multiple actresses on It Ends With Us filed HR complaints against Justin Baldoni and that this is Blake Lively's smoking gun.
But let’s actually THINK for a second—because some things aren’t adding up besties. 🧵⬇️
1️⃣ WHAT THE SCREENSHOTS ACTUALLY SAY
The circulating screenshots claim that Sony received additional HR complaints against Baldoni from other actresses on set (possibly Jenny Slate or Isabela Ferrer).
🚨 That’s it. That’s the whole big reveal. 🚨
But let’s ask the obvious questions:
WHERE WERE THESE COMPLAINTS BEFORE?
- Are they even real?
- If they are real, why weren’t they referenced in the CRD or Blake’s lawsuit?
- If multiple people filed complaints before the lawsuit, wouldn’t that have been major evidence in Blake’s case?
Why weren’t these included to bolster her claims?
The math isn’t mathing. 🤨
2️⃣ THIS DIRECTLY CONTRADICTS BRYAN FREEDMAN’S STATEMENT.
Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, went on record saying:
🗣️ “Well, remember that there was actually no allegation of sexual harassment until the lawsuit was filed.”
So either:
❌ Freedman lied publicly (unlikely), or
❌ These complaints weren’t filed until AFTER the CRD, meaning they don’t prove anything about Baldoni’s conduct during filming.
If these existed before the lawsuit, why would Freedman be this bold about saying there were no complaints? You think he’d risk that if there was actual documented proof out there?
Let me get this straight…Ashley St. Clair had people running defense for her over a “mean girl” comment—secretly pregnant with Elon’s kid. Now she’s doing a PR tour from a $40K/mo apartment, publicly begging for a response?
The power trip was real. The fall-off is even funnier.