David Ross Cheriton is a Canadian computer scientist, professor, and self-made billionaire whose fortune is rooted in his early, strategic investments in the technology sector. Born in Vancouver, B.C., in 1951, his intellectual path was clear: after being rejected by the music program at the University of Alberta, he pursued a career in mathematics and computer science, graduating with a B.S. from the University of British Columbia (1973) and securing a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Waterloo (1978).

His career is defined by academia and technical innovation: he is a long-time Computer Science Professor at Stanford University, where he founded the Distributed Systems Group. His technical expertise in distributed computing and computer networking positioned him to recognize and fund groundbreaking ideas long before the venture capital world caught on.

David Cheriton's financial success is built on his unparalleled ability to commercialize cutting-edge computer science research. In 1996, he co-founded Granite Systems with Andy Bechtolsheim, developing gigabit Ethernet products. The company was quickly acquired by Cisco Systems, providing Cheriton with his first major exit and capital.

The pivotal moment that secured his massive fortune occurred in August 1998 on his front porch. His former students, Sergey Brin and Larry Page, met with Bechtolsheim to discuss their new search engine. Bechtolsheim wrote the first check, and Cheriton immediately joined as an angel investor with a $200,000 investment in Google. This investment alone made him a multi-billionaire. He later co-founded Arista Networks (2004), a high-speed networking company, and has maintained a reputation for a frugal lifestyle, famously being included on a list of cheapskate billionaires, often avoiding costly cars and large houses despite his wealth.

David Cheriton is a dedicated philanthropist, focusing his giving heavily on computer science education and research. He made a significant $25 million donation to the University of Waterloo to support graduate studies and research, leading the school to be renamed the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science.

His structural social impact is tied to his role in mentoring and funding a generation of Silicon Valley founders (including Brin and Page). His work has advanced the fields of distributed computing and computer networking, forming the intellectual infrastructure of the modern internet.

David Cheriton is famous for his extremely frugal lifestyle. His attire is consistently simple, functional, and often worn until worn out, reflecting his disinterest in material wealth. His aesthetic is anti-luxury, prioritizing intellectual pursuits over consumerism.

Residing in Palo Alto, California, his luxury is the profound security and autonomy derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is defined by his commitment to his students, deep technical work, and his long-term impact on global networking and computing.