Auren Hoffman
CEO, NQB8
Host, World of DaaS
This episode will air on Thursday, June 26 at 7:00 p.m. ET
Leaders are different, and if you put them all together, there’s almost no trait that more than 25% of leaders have.
Summary
In this episode of Leadership Matters, Alan Fleischmann sits down with Auren Hoffman, serial entrepreneur, CEO of NQB8 and co-founder of SafeGraph, a geospatial data firm. Auren reflects on his journey from founding startups in college like Kyber Systems to leading SafeGraph and launching ventures such as Dialog and Flex Capital. He shares hard-earned lessons on persistence, leadership and learning from failure, while emphasizing the importance of meaningful conversations and personal values. Auren also discusses his optimistic outlook on AI’s future, revealing that all his recent investments involve AI and urging business leaders to adapt or be left behind.
Mentions & Resources
Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel
Guest Bio
Auren Hoffman, CEO of NQB8, is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and data visionary whose work has helped shape the intersection of technology, data infrastructure, and responsible innovation.
Formerly the CEO and Chief Historian of SafeGraph, a geospatial data company he founded in 2016, Auren led efforts to provide accurate, privacy-sensitive location data to power innovation in sectors ranging from retail to public health. Prior to SafeGraph, he was the co-founder and CEO of LiveRamp, a data onboarding company acquired by Acxiom for $310 million in 2014. LiveRamp has since become one of the leading players in data connectivity.
Auren’s entrepreneurial journey began early. While still a student at the University of California, Berkeley—where he earned a degree in Industrial Engineering—he founded Kyber Systems, later acquired by Human Ingenuity. He went on to create and lead multiple startups, including Bridgepath and Rapleaf, both of which were acquired by major firms.
In addition to his operational leadership, Auren is an accomplished investor. As General Partner at Flex Capital, he has invested in over 120 early-stage technology companies, including Aardvark, Chomp, and Meebo. His investment philosophy emphasizes long-term thinking, founder quality, and data-centric innovation.
Beyond business, Auren is deeply engaged in thought leadership. He is the host of the "World of DaaS" podcast, where he interviews leaders in data, tech, and policy. He also serves as Chairman of Dialog and Stonebrick Group, convening candid forums for global thinkers and executives.
Auren is known for his high-conviction leadership, deep curiosity, and ability to see around corners in the technology landscape. He is a frequent contributor to discussions on data ethics, AI, and the future of digital infrastructure.
He lives in the Washington D.C. area with his family and continues to write and speak on leadership, innovation, and the evolving role of data in society.
Transcript
Transcript will be uploaded upon the episode’s premiere.