Y uri Milner is a Russian-Israeli billionaire who is one of the most successful and influential technology investors in the world. A theoretical physicist by training, he founded the venture capital firm DST Global in 2009. He became famous for his high-profile and prescient early-stage investments in some of the world's largest social media and internet companies. He was a very early and major backer of companies like Facebook, Twitter, and the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, investments that generated spectacular returns and made him a multi-billionaire.

In addition to his venture capital activities, he is a major philanthropist, particularly in the field of science. He is the founder of the Breakthrough Prize, which awards lucrative prizes to the world's top scientists in physics, life sciences, and mathematics, often called the "Oscars of Science." He has also funded the Breakthrough Listen initiative, the most comprehensive search for extraterrestrial intelligence to date. In recent years, following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, he has been vocal in condemning the war and has announced that he has renounced his Russian citizenship.