Joe Lonsdale: Principled Business Leader of the Year 2024
Joe Lonsdale, General Partner at 8VC
At the 2024 Principled Business Summit in New York, Joe Lonsdale was recognized as the Principled Business Leader of the Year for his work in building institutions that defend free enterprise and strengthen civil society.
As founding partner of 8VC, Joe led the close of Fund VI, a $1 billion vehicle backing ambitious founders driving innovation in defense, biotech, AI, and beyond. The fund reflects his belief in entrepreneurship as the engine of the next great American century.
Joe also helped launch the University of Austin (UATX), a first-of-its-kind university with a merit-first admissions process which welcomed its first class in the fall of 2024. The institution positions itself as a challenger in higher education, emphasizing excellence and intellectual integrity.
Through the Cicero Institute, Joe has advanced policy reform across nearly three dozen states. In 2023 alone, Cicero supported 38 laws aimed at restoring government accountability and improving outcomes for communities across the country.
Joe has also used his voice to defend liberty and capitalism. In national media and platforms like X, he warned of anti-growth policies and highlighted the stakes of the 2024 elections. His podcast, American Optimist, has reached thousands of listeners with arguments for entrepreneurship, innovation and free markets.
In accepting the award, Joe urged business leaders to take a more active role in civic life:
"It's time to get in the fight. The Founders trusted the American people to elevate its top talent to lead an effective, principled government. Of course, there will be blowback, but if you're not being attacked or criticized, you're probably not doing much to protect and advance our civilization, and the values that make us free and prosperous."
Joe embodies principled leadership and he believes that this includes standing publicly in defense of capitalism even if criticism follows. His career offers a blueprint for leaders seeking to grow enterprises and strengthen the foundations of a free society.
Want more stories like this?
Subscribe to the Capitalists for Capitalism magazine to get fresh perspectives, bold ideas, and real stories from the builders, investors, and rebels shaping the future of freedom.
