Bill Gurley Speaking Fee: $50,000 to $75,000

Born on May 10, 1966, in Dickinson, Texas, Bill Gurley grew up with a keen interest in technology and business. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Florida in 1989, where he also played on the men's basketball team. In 1993, he completed his MBA at the University of Texas McCombs School of Business. Gurley's professional journey began as a design engineer at Compaq Computers. He then transitioned to Wall Street, spending four years as a top-ranked research analyst. During this time, he focused on personal computer hardware and software, covering companies like Dell, Compaq, and Microsoft. Notably, he was the lead analyst on Amazon's IPO and was recognized as part of the Institutional Investor All-American Research Team in 1995 and 1996. In 1999, Gurley joined Benchmark Capital as a General Partner. At Benchmark, he led investments in several successful startups, including GrubHub, Zillow, Nextdoor, OpenTable, and Uber. His early investment of approximately $11 million in Uber in 2011 became one of his most notable and lucrative ventures. Beyond his investment activities, Gurley is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and has served on the boards of various companies. He is also known for his blog, "Above the Crowd," where he shares insights on technology, startups, and investing. His perspectives have made him a respected voice in the venture capital community.