17 Companies That Jeff Bezos Bet On, and Why You Should Too

Have you ever wondered what you'd do with billions at your disposal? Looking at Jeff Bezos's investment portfolio might provide some clues. The Amazon founder doesn't just hoard his wealth - he strategically deploys it through various vehicles: Amazon itself, Bezos Expeditions (his venture capital firm), Nash Holdings LLC, and the Bezos Family Foundation.

What's fascinating is how many of his investments aim to solve humanity's biggest challenges - from biotech firms working on cancer cures to agricultural innovations addressing food scarcity. Since stepping down as Amazon CEO in 2021, Bezos has focused more on Blue Origin while still maintaining a 9.3% stake in Amazon after recently offloading $2 billion worth of shares.

Beyond the well-known Washington Post and Whole Foods acquisitions, here's a look at some of his most intriguing bets:

EverFi

Bezos poured $190 million into this educational technology company focused on financial literacy and STEM education. Cloud software giant Blackbaud later acquired EverFi for an undisclosed amount.

Basecamp

When this web design firm couldn't find suitable project management software, they built their own. Bezos purchased a minority stake in 2006, recognizing the potential of the software-as-service model before it became ubiquitous.

MakerBot

Bezos joined investors backing this pioneering 3D printing company in 2011, helping bring the technology to everyday consumers before Stratasys acquired it.

NextDoor

The neighborhood-focused social network received Bezos funding in 2013. Now public through a SPAC merger, NextDoor trades under "KIND" with a market cap around $1 billion - though its $2.72 share price suggests investors remain skeptical.

Plenty

Vertical farming caught Bezos's eye in 2017. Plenty's innovative approach uses just 1% of traditional agriculture's water while yielding crops up to 350 times greater. The company recently struck a $680 million Middle Eastern joint venture.

Airbnb

Bezos invested $112 million in the accommodation marketplace before its December 2020 IPO at $68 per share. With shares now trading around $114 and a $71.8 billion market cap, this bet has paid off handsomely.

Grail

In 2016, Bezos backed this healthcare company focused on early cancer detection. After raising over $2 billion, Grail was acquired by Illumina for $8 billion.

Juno Therapeutics

Bezos invested in this cancer immunotherapy developer, which was later acquired by Celgene for $9 billion in 2018.

Mark43

This public safety software company received $27 million from Bezos Expeditions in 2016, followed by $38 million in a later funding round.

Fundbox

This fintech helping small businesses access credit received Bezos funding in 2015. By late 2021, it had raised $410 million and was eyeing an IPO at a $1.1 billion valuation.

Remitly

Bezos was an early investor in this mobile payment app facilitating global money transfers. Currently trading at $13.67 with a $2.6 billion market cap, analysts see potential upside.

Uber

Bezos joined Uber's 2011 Series B round. Now trading at $69.01 with a $143.9 billion market cap, the ride-sharing giant has substantially outperformed its $45 IPO price.

Domo

In 2013, Bezos backed this data analytics platform connecting executives with real-time business insights. After a $21 IPO in 2018, shares have fallen to $7.60, suggesting this bet hasn't panned out.

Stack Overflow

The popular developer Q&A platform received early Bezos funding before being acquired by Prosus for $1.8 billion in 2021.

Mindstrong Health

This mental health technology platform received $15 million in Bezos funding in 2018 but ultimately closed operations, with SonderMind acquiring its technology.

Figure AI

In 2024, Bezos pledged $100 million toward Figure AI's humanoid robot development. Goldman Sachs projects this market could reach $38 billion by 2035.

Perplexity AI

Bezos recently backed this AI search engine's funding rounds as its valuation climbed to $2.5-3 billion, betting on an alternative to traditional search.

I've always wondered if Bezos's investment strategy reflects genuine vision or just the luxury of having enough capital to spread across promising sectors. Either way, his portfolio offers a fascinating glimpse into potential future-shaping technologies - though I question whether average investors could replicate his success without his connections and resources.