David Ko | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1972 (age 53–54) |
| Alma mater | New York University Stern School of Business |
| Occupations | Business executive, entrepreneur |
| Known for | Chief Executive Officer of meditation app Calm.com |
| Spouse | Jennifer Ko |
David Ko is an American business executive, entrepreneur and the Chief Executive Officer of Calm.com, Inc., a meditation and mental wellness app. [1] [2] Ko has held leadership positions at Yahoo!, Zynga, and Ripple Health Group, and is also a philanthropist and mentor in higher education. [3] [4]
Ko earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance and International Business from the New York University Stern School of Business in 1993. [3] [5]
Ko began his career at Yahoo!, where he served as a senior executive for 10 years. [6] He later joined Zynga, the social-gaming company, serving as Chief Operating Officer (COO). [7]
In 2020, Ko co-founded Ripple Health Group, a healthcare-technology startup focused on patient–provider communication and access to care. [1]
In February 2022, Calm announced its acquisition of Ripple Health Group, appointing Ko as Co-Chief Executive Officer alongside Calm co-founder Michael Acton Smith. [2] [1]
Ko serves on the New York University Board of Trustees. [3] In 2021 he and his wife established the David Ko Gift to endow the Stern Venture Fellows, a program supporting students from under-represented backgrounds who are launching startups. [5] He is also a founding member of the Stern Founders and Entrepreneurs Pledge, which encourages alumni to reinvest in future generations of NYU entrepreneurs. [8]
In 2024, Ko published Recharge: Boosting Your Mental Battery One Conversation at a Time (Forbes Books). [9] [10]
Ko received the Haskins Award in 2022. [8]