John Maeda joined Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers in 2013 as Design Partner, where he works within KPCB’s ProductWorks program helping entrepreneurs and portfolio companies to build design into their company cultures. He served as the 16th president of Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) from 2008 through 2013. During his tenure, RISD saw increased applications, fundraising, and career placements. Prior to RISD, John spent 13 years at the MIT Media Lab as a professor and head of research. There he also led the Aesthetics and Computation research group, which pioneered new kinds of human expression on the web. His career bridging the intersections of graphic design, computer science, art, education, and leadership earned him the distinction of being named one of the 75 most influential people of the 21st century by Esquire.

Outside of KPCB, John chairs the eBay Design Advisory Council, serves on the boards of the wireless hi-fi company Sonos and the advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy, and is a member of the TED Brain Trust. His books include The Laws of Simplicity, Creative Code, andRedesigning Leadership, in which he expands on his Twitter feed at @johnmaeda, TIMEMagazine’s 140 Best Twitter Feeds. He has received a variety of international awards for his creative work, including induction to the Art Director's Club Hall of Fame and the White House's National Design Award.

John earned a B.S. and M.S. degree in computer science and electrical engineering from MIT, as well as an M.B.A. from Arizona State University. He also holds a Ph.D. in design science from the University of Tsukuba Institute of Art and Design in Japan.

John Maeda

Design Partner, KPCB

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