Antonio Garcia Martinez
Antonio Garcia Martinez is a technology entrepreneur and writer who specializes in the internet and digital economy. He is the author of Chaos Monkeys: Obscene Fortune and Random Failure in Silicon Valley, an autobiographical account of his experience in Silicon Valley as a venture capitalist and tech startup entrepreneur.
Martinez was born and raised in Barcelona, Spain. His parents, who both worked in the Spanish government, instilled in him a strong work ethic and ambition. After completing his studies at the University of Barcelona in 1996, Martinez moved to the United States to pursue his career in the tech industry, where he quickly rose through the ranks from low-level positions to advisor, venture capitalist, and eventually entrepreneur.
In 2008, Martinez became the Chief Technology Officer at AdBrain, an artificial intelligence-driven advertising company. Over the next four years as CTO, Martinez led the company through a number of successful merger and acquisition events, positioning AdBrain as a dominant player in the digital advertising space.
In 2012, Martinez left AdBrain and founded his own venture, Cluster.ly, a software product that used a patented platform to make online communities more resilient by decentralizing server resources. After struggling to find investors, the startup was eventually acquired by Apple in 2013.
Upon his exit from Cluster.ly, Martinez decided to take some time to reflect on his previous experiences in the tech industry and document his journey in a book. Chaos Monkeys was written to show a funny and honest look into startup culture in Silicon Valley.
Martinez describes his time in Silicon Valley as a roller coaster ride, full of moments of success, failure and excess. He tells entertaining stories of the oddities and extreme hedonism of the tech industry, from private jets and startup parties to billion-dollar IPOs and bizarre business deals.
Chaos Monkeys had a successful run, appearing on the New York Times bestseller list and receiving wide critical acclaim. It also secured Martinez a spot in the public eye as a sought-after Silicon Valley commentator, appearing in numerous media outlets such as The New Yorker, Fortune, and The Wall Street Journal.
In 2017, Martinez released his second book The Economy of Things, a witty and informative exploration of the components and implications of the digital economy. He discusses everything from the perils of digital currencies to the implications of artificial intelligence, and provides readers with a highly detailed dive into the intricacies of the emerging digital economy.
On top of his publishing success, Martinez pays his knowledge forward, holding public lectures and serving on various advisory boards. He currently serves as an advisor for startups, venture capital firms, and VC funds, and is a frequent keynote speaker for technology conferences around the world.
Martinez is a passionate advocate for technology and the digital economy. His two books, business success, and keynote lectures show just how deep his knowledge of the internet and digital economy really is. It won’t be a surprise to anyone if Antonio Garcia Martinez is remembered as one of the most influential figures in the tech industry.
