Not only is Ashton Kutcher a Hollywood actor, he is also a big investor in technology and has invested in several startups over the years.
He is now even merging his passion for technology with acting by appearing as the late Steve Jobs in the biopic film about his work with Apple, Jobs.
Kutcher has always been passionate about social media, with over 14m followers on Twitter, he used to tweet personal photos to deter the paparazzi from following him and his family. His prevalence online has helped him to spot the next big thing in tech.
But he also says that his acting career helps him when it comes to choosing startups: "As an actor, when we receive a script, we start breaking down every character by their want," he told New York City. "Every character has an objective and a super objective. I look at technology the same way. I’ll think, ‘I’m a user of this platform. What do I want and how badly do I want it?"
He has come a long way from appearing on That 70s Show, to a very successful technology venture capitalist. Here’s a look at some of his best investments.
Skype
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The online video chat application is now a staple on most computers and smartphones, perfect for long distance conversations.
Kutcher was part of a group, including Marc Andreesson, founder of Netscape, which invested in Skype in 2009 when it was valued at $2.75bn. It was recently purchased by Microsoft for more than $8bn.
Foursquare
Foursquare is an app that rewards members for checking into various locations with points and badges. The fun and friendly app is great for finding new places to go and sharing your experiences with others.
Kutcher is a user as well as an investor, with nearly 400 check-ins, he regularly posting about his restaurant trips.
Path
The photo sharing application allows users to share pictures with their close friends and family. It is kept intimate by limiting each user’s social network to 150 friends. The site was intended as a companion to Facebook and other social networking platforms, but it has become a destination website in itself.
Kutcher was part of the initial $2.5m funding round for the app. It subsequently raised $30m in venture capital.
A social magazine that aggregates web links from your social circle and displays the content in magazine form, allowing users to ‘flip’ through their social networking feeds. It was specifically designed for the iPad but now works across a range of platforms.
Kutcher invested in Flipboard along with Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey in 2010 to great success: the company raised $60.5m and hit 2.5m downloads within its first year.
AirBNB
A startup which pairs travelers with locals who are looking to rent out spare bedrooms. To ensure a good-night’s stay, AirBNB has customer service staff who investigate guests and hosts.
The service is Kutcher’s biggest venture investment to date according to GigaOm. "As part of the deal, the actor will join the AirBNB team as an ally and trusted advisor who will help out in a community engagement capcity."
