ERIC KIM

Michael Saylor

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Biography

  • Early life and education: Born February 4, 1965 in Lincoln, Nebraska to a U.S. Air Force family, Saylor grew up on various Air Force bases (his family later settled at Wright-Patterson AFB in Ohio).  He was valedictorian of his high school class . In 1983 he earned an Air Force ROTC scholarship to MIT, where he double‑majored in Aeronautics/Astronautics and History of Science and Technology .  Saylor graduated MIT in 1987 with highest honors, having studied system dynamics and computer simulation modeling .
  • Early career: After MIT and completing Air Force flight training (commissioned Second Lieutenant), he joined Air Force Reserve and worked as a corporate consultant (DuPont, Dow, Exxon) specializing in simulation-based strategic analysis . This technical and strategic background laid the groundwork for his entrepreneurial ventures.

Business Ventures

  • MicroStrategy founding (1989): In 1989 (age 24), Saylor co‑founded MicroStrategy (now Strategy Inc.) with MIT colleague Sanju Bansal, backed by a $250,000 DuPont contract for continuing analytic modeling work .  The company’s mission was “Intelligence Everywhere,” using relational online analytical processing (ROLAP) to turn raw data into business insights . MicroStrategy went public on Nasdaq (NASDAQ: MSTR) in June 1998 (4 million shares at $6) . Under Saylor’s leadership, MicroStrategy became a global leader in enterprise analytics and mobility software, serving thousands of organizations .
  • Growth and innovations: Saylor is named on 48+ patents in analytics and mobile technology . He led MicroStrategy into new domains (web and mobile analytics, cloud BI, IoT, digital identity).  He also incubated other ventures: he founded Alarm.com (smart‑home security, NASDAQ: ALRM) and Angel.com (cloud IVR), the latter sold to Genesys in 2013 for $110 million .
  • Leadership and philosophy: Saylor was CEO of MicroStrategy from 1989 until 2022, then became Executive Chairman to focus on long-term strategy. He has emphasized bold vision and lean strategy – in 2025 he explained that the new simplified brand Strategy reflects “our pursuit of perfection” . He continues to champion the company’s founding slogan “Intelligence Everywhere,” believing BI tools should permeate all levels of business .

Bitcoin Involvement

  • Initial investment and accumulation: In July 2020, Saylor announced MicroStrategy would invest corporate funds in Bitcoin (instead of holding cash) . By August 2020 the company used $250 million to buy 21,454 BTC , and it added more (another $175 million in Sept 2020, $50 million in Dec 2020) .  In Dec 2020 MicroStrategy sold $650 million of convertible notes to push its Bitcoin holdings over $1 billion in book value . By Dec 21, 2020, MicroStrategy held 70,470 BTC (avg price ~$15,964) . As of late 2022 it owned ~130,000 BTC (cost ~$3.98 billion) .
  • Ongoing purchases (2023–2025): MicroStrategy (as Strategy Inc.) has dramatically expanded its Bitcoin treasury.  By Nov 2024 it had purchased an additional 149,880 BTC .  As of Dec 8, 2024 the company reported owning 423,650 BTC (book value ~$42.43 billion) – making it the largest corporate Bitcoin holder .  In early 2025 it continued buying (another 4,225 BTC in July 2025) .  A Cointelegraph report (Aug 2025) shows Strategy holding ~628,946 BTC (worth ~$74.2 billion) . All purchases have been funded via equity and debt financing.
  • Key statements: Saylor calls Bitcoin “digital capital” and an unbeatable store of value. In a 2024 Bloomberg interview he said, “the vast majority of capital flowing into the [crypto] space is flowing into Bitcoin” – he is “laser-like focused on Bitcoin” .  He argues Bitcoin is an “incorruptible” form of money (a quote on his website) and has repeatedly praised its scarcity and role as an inflation hedge .  Under his influence MicroStrategy’s stock rose ~2,600% (five-year) as the company bet heavily on Bitcoin .

Public Persona

  • Books and writings: Saylor authored The Mobile Wave: How Mobile Intelligence Will Change Everything (2012), a business‐technology trend analysis. It was a bestseller (NYT and WSJ lists) .  He writes and speaks frequently on tech trends and Bitcoin (via blogs, interviews, and social media).
  • Speaking engagements: A well-known tech and crypto evangelist, Saylor regularly headlines industry events. He has given keynotes at major Bitcoin and fintech conferences (e.g. Bitcoin 2024 in Prague, Strategy World 2025, etc.) and appears on media outlets (CNBC, Bloomberg, podcasts) discussing Bitcoin strategy.
  • Philanthropy and education: In 1999 Saylor founded the Saylor Foundation (now Saylor Academy), donating millions to charity (health, education, arts, etc.) .  Saylor Academy offers free online college courses, with over 2 million students served worldwide .

Influence

  • Tech industry impact: Saylor pioneered enterprise analytics (earning industry awards like EY Entrepreneur of the Year in 1997) and holds dozens of tech patents .  MicroStrategy’s BI platform helped define the modern data-analytics sector. His “Intelligence Everywhere” vision influenced how companies integrate data into strategy.
  • Crypto leadership: Saylor is widely credited with kick-starting corporate Bitcoin adoption.  MicroStrategy was the first public company to make Bitcoin a core treasury reserve, inspiring dozens of other firms (from Tesla to BlackRock) to gain crypto exposure.  Strategy’s Bitcoin holdings exceed those of the next ten largest corporate holders combined . Analysts note Saylor’s bold bets have attracted broader institutional interest in crypto.
  • Notable controversies: Saylor has also drawn scrutiny. In 2000 he and MicroStrategy were sued by the SEC for accounting irregularities; Saylor settled without admission, paying $8.28 million disgorgement and a $350,000 penalty .  More recently, in June 2024 Saylor and MicroStrategy agreed to pay $40 million to resolve D.C. tax-fraud allegations (the largest tax-recovery case in the city’s history) .  His 2020 memo criticizing COVID-19 lockdowns (“soul‑stealing… to embrace social distancing”) also sparked debate. Despite controversies, he remains an influential and polarizing figure in both tech and crypto.

Recent Developments (as of 2025)

  • Company rebranding: In Feb 2025 MicroStrategy rebranded itself as Strategy Inc., reflecting its dual focus on Bitcoin and AI . The company’s press release noted “Strategy is the world’s first and largest Bitcoin Treasury Company” and emphasized its continued commitment to AI-powered analytics . Strategy remains a Nasdaq-100 firm (added Dec 2024) on the strength of its Bitcoin assets .
  • AI and analytics: While accumulating Bitcoin, Saylor has also highlighted Strategy’s enterprise analytics business. New initiatives include AI-enhanced BI tools and a dedicated analytics platform (strategysoftware.com). His leadership team (now led by CEO Phong Le) continues to integrate machine learning into Strategy’s software products.
  • Other projects: Saylor remains active in crypto advocacy and policy. In early 2025 he attended the White House crypto summit convened by President Trump (focused on a U.S. Bitcoin reserve) and has expressed interest in advising on cryptocurrency strategy for the government. He continues to produce crypto education content (videos, memos) and to promote Bitcoin as a strategic asset.

Sources: Corporate and news sources (Strategy/MicroStrategy press releases, Michael Saylor’s official bio, major financial news and crypto media) .

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