Reid Hoffman said he will step down from the board of Microsoft Corp. later this year in order to concentrate on Manas, the artificial intelligence drug-discovery company he co-founded. The announcement came in a video Hoffman posted to his social-media channels that captures a conversation between him and Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella.
In the video, Hoffman said, "We99re seeing such progress with Manas, I said 'Look, I think I need to get back to founder mode.'" The remark framed his decision to leave the board as a move to dedicate more of his time and attention to the startup, which he described in public materials as focused on applying AI to biopharmaceutical development.
Manas' website characterizes the company as an "AI-native biopharmaceutical company combining pioneering AI technology with the first principles of chemistry, physics, and biology to transform the clinical pipeline from target to medicine." Recent company activity cited in Hoffman's announcement included a partnership with Schrodinger Inc., through which Manas gained access to Schrodinger's computational molecular discovery platform.
Hoffman became a member of Microsoft's board in 2017 following Microsoft's acquisition of LinkedIn, the social network he co-founded in 2002. Since then, he has continued to operate as an active investor, including through his role as a partner at venture firm Greylock, and has served as a conduit between Microsoft and Silicon Valley AI companies.
Reflecting on his board service in the video, Hoffman said, "It99s been a huge honor and pleasure" to serve on Microsoft's board. Nadella replied, "I am so grateful for all of your contributions to Microsoft and the board over the years, and excited to see you get back to founder mode with Manas."
Hoffman has also served on the board of OpenAI, a close partner of Microsoft. Earlier this year he faced scrutiny after the publication of documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein that suggested a long and personal relationship between Hoffman and Epstein; the Justice Department materials do not indicate that Hoffman had knowledge of Epstein's alleged ongoing crimes.
Context and relevance
- Hoffman's decision signals a redeployment of his time from a major public company board to a private AI-driven biopharma venture.
- Manas is positioned at the intersection of AI and drug discovery and has established a collaboration with Schrodinger for computational molecular discovery tools.
- Hoffman's departure reduces his formal governance role at Microsoft while he continues active involvement in venture investing.