Shaquille O’Neal invested in the online community college Campus initiative, influenced by the wisdom of Jeff Bezosthe visionary behind Amazon, according to a CNBC report.
With substantial backing of over $29 million from investors, including OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altmann and that of Discord Jason LimoneCampus aims to transform the educational landscape by democratizing higher education and making it more accessible to students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.
According to a CNBC report, O’Neal’s investment was driven by his belief in the startup’s potential, echoing Bezos’ investment philosophy.
“I heard Jeff Bezos say that if you invest in things that will change people’s lives, you will always get a great return on your investment,” O’Neal told the outlet. “But this particular investment doesn’t bring a great return because I believe everyone should have access to a world-class education.”
Launched by Tade Oyerinde in 2022, Campus boasts a roster of faculty from esteemed universities such as Princeton and Vanderbilt, offering quality online education.
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O’Neal, whose net worth exceeds $400 million, has a diversified investment portfolio that includes holdings Google , Lyft, Ring AND Vitamin wateralong with franchised properties in Father John AND Five guys.
Explaining his investment strategy to the Wall Street Journal, O’Neal said in 2019: “If something comes across my desk and I don’t believe it, I don’t even look at it.”
This investing ethic, inspired by Bezos, not only aligned with O’Neal’s personal values, but also proved financially rewarding.
“Once I started following this strategy, I think I probably quadrupled what I’m worth,” he said.
This story is part of a series of columns on the topic of success, Petrol inspiration.
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