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Andy Rubin

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For the American actor, see Andrew Rubin.
Andy Rubin
Rubin at 2008 Google Developer Day in Japan
Born
Andrew E. Rubin

(1963-03-13) March 13, 1963 (age 61)
Chappaqua, New York
EducationUtica College
OccupationPartner at Redpoint Ventures
SpouseRie Hirabaru Rubin (divorced)

Andrew E. Rubin (born March 13, 1963) is an American computer programmer, entrepreneur, and venture capitalist. Rubin founded Android Inc. in 2003, which was acquired by Google in 2005; Rubin served as a Google vice president for nine years and led Google's efforts in creating and promoting the Android operating system for mobile phones and other devices during most of his tenure. Rubin left Google in 2014 after allegations of sexual misconduct, although it was presented as a voluntary departure rather than a dismissal at first. Rubin then served as co-founder and CEO of venture capital firm Playground Global from 2015 to 2019.[1] Rubin also helped found Essential Products in 2015, a mobile phone start-up that closed in 2020 without finding a buyer. In 2019, Rubin was inducted into the Wireless Hall of Fame.[2]

Rubin was nicknamed "Android" by his co-workers at Apple in 1989 due to a love of robots, with the nickname eventually becoming the official name of the Android operating system.[3] Before Android Inc., Rubin also helped found Danger Inc. in 1999, another company involved in the mobile space; Rubin left Danger to work on Android in 2003, and Danger was eventually acquired by Microsoft in 2008.

In 2018, The New York Times published an article revealing the details of Rubin's 2014 departure from Google – i.e., that it had been forced rather than voluntary due to credible allegations he had sexually harassed female employees, and that Google had paid Rubin a $90 million severance package to expedite the process. Google's large severance payment attracted significant controversy.[4]

Early life and education

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Rubin grew up in Chappaqua, New York, as the son of a psychologist who later founded his own direct-marketing firm. His father's firm created photographs of the latest electronic gadgets to be sent with credit card bills.[5] He attended Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua, New York from 1977 until 1981 and was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science from Utica College, Utica, New York, in 1986.[6]

Career

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Andy Rubin worked at Apple from 1989 to 1992 as a manufacturing engineer.[7]

General Magic

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Rubin joined General Magic in 1992. He was a lead engineer in the development of the Motorola Envoy.[8]

Google

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After Android was acquired by Google in 2005,[9] Rubin became the company's senior vice president of mobile and digital content,[10][11] where he oversaw development of Android, an open-source operating system for smartphones.[12] On March 13, 2013, Larry Page announced in a blog post that Rubin had moved from the Android division to take on new projects at Google, with Sundar Pichai taking over Android.[13][14] In December 2013, Rubin started management of the robotics division of Google (including companies such as Boston Dynamics, which Google owned at the time).[15] On October 31, 2014, he left Google after nine years at the company to start a venture capital firm for technology startups.[16][17][18][19]

Sexual harassment allegations

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According to The New York Times, while the departure was presented to the media as an amicable one where Rubin would spend more time on philanthropy and start-ups, CEO Larry Page personally asked for Rubin's resignation after a sexual harassment claim by an employee against Rubin was found to be credible during an investigation by Google; the employee, with whom Rubin had an extramarital relationship, accused him of coercing her into oral sex in a hotel room in 2013.[20] Rubin strongly disputed these reports and denied wrongdoing, stating, "these false allegations are part of a smear campaign to disparage me during a divorce and custody battle".[21] The incident, among others, led to the 2018 Google walkouts from Google's employee workforce over Rubin reportedly receiving a $90 million "exit package" to expedite his separation from the company. Google responded by sending a memo to employees saying no employees dismissed due to sexual harassment concerns after 2016 had received payouts.[22]

After Google

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After being forced out of Google, Rubin founded Playground Global in 2015 along with Peter Barrett, Matt Hershenson and Bruce Leak.[23] The company is a venture capital firm and studio for technology start-ups, providing funding, resources, and mentorship. In 2015, Playground Global raised a $300 million fund from investors including Google, HP, Foxconn, Redpoint Ventures, Seagate Technology and Tencent, among others.[1][24] It has invested in several companies such as Owl Labs.[25] Rubin left Playground Global in May 2019.[26]

Rubin eventually joined and helped create the Android phone start-up Essential Products. In November 2017, he took a leave of absence from Essential Products after reports of the inappropriate relationship from his time at Google surfaced.[27][28] In December 2017, he returned to Essential Products.[29]

Rubin and his ex-wife, Rie Hirabaru Rubin, owned and operated Voyageur du Temps, a bakery and cafe in Los Altos, California, which closed in September 2018.[24][30][31]

Timeline

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References

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  1. ^ a b Barr, Alistair; Wakabayashi, Daisuke (April 6, 2015). "Android Creator Andy Rubin Launching Playground Global". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 2016-03-10. Retrieved July 25, 2017.(subscription required)
  2. ^ Wireless History Foundation (2019). "Andy Rubin". Wireless Hall of Fame. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
  3. ^ Jeffries, Adrianne (March 19, 2013). "Disconnect: why Andy Rubin and Android called it quits". The Verge. Archived from the original on 2013-04-11. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  4. ^ Wakabayashi, Daisuke; Griffith, Erin; Tsang, Amie; Conger, Kate (2018-11-01). "Google Walkout: Employees Stage Protest Over Handling of Sexual Harassment". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-03-28.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Markoff, John (November 4, 2007). "I, Robot: The Man Behind the Google Phone". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2017-07-22. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  6. ^ Susmitha Suresh (October 26, 2018). "Who Is Andy Rubin? Android Founder Denies Sexual Misconduct Claims At Google". IBT. Archived from the original on 2018-11-04. Retrieved 2018-11-01.
  7. ^ "Former Android Chief Andy Rubin Still Has His Apple Business Card From The 90s [Image]". Cult of Mac. 2013-03-25. Archived from the original on 2019-01-01. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  8. ^ "Andy Rubin Unleashed Android on the World. Now Watch Him Do the Same With AI". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2021-02-05.
  9. ^ a b Elgin, Ben (August 17, 2005). "Google Buys Android for Its Mobile Arsenal". Bloomberg Businessweek. Bloomberg. Archived from the original on February 5, 2011. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  10. ^ Ion, Florence (March 13, 2013). "Rubin out, Pichai in as Google's new senior vice president of Android". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on 2017-08-20. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  11. ^ Richmond, Shane (March 13, 2013). "Google Android boss Andy Rubin steps aside". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2017-08-24. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  12. ^ Krazit, Tom (May 20, 2009). "Google's Rubin: Android 'a revolution'". CNET. Archived from the original on 2017-08-20. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  13. ^ Arthur, Charles (March 13, 2013). "Andy Rubin moved from Android to take on 'moonshots' at Google". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2017-03-12. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  14. ^ Etherington, Darrell (March 13, 2013). "Sundar Pichai Takes Over For Andy Rubin As Head Of Android At Google, Signals The Unification of Android, Chrome And Apps". TechCrunch. AOL. Archived from the original on 2017-07-06. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  15. ^ a b Markoff, John (December 14, 2013). "Google Adds to Its Menagerie of Robots". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2017-08-13. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  16. ^ Barr, Alistair (October 31, 2014). "Former Android Leader Andy Rubin Leaving Google". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 2017-08-20. Retrieved July 25, 2017.(subscription required)
  17. ^ Lowensohn, Josh (October 30, 2014). "Android creator Andy Rubin is leaving Google". The Verge. Archived from the original on 2017-08-20. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  18. ^ Wilhelm, Alex (October 30, 2014). "Andy Rubin Is Leaving Google To Start A Hardware Incubator". TechCrunch. AOL. Archived from the original on 2017-07-07. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  19. ^ Gibbs, Samuel (2014-11-02). "The 'father of Android' leaves Google for new technology hardware startups". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2018-01-05. Retrieved 2018-01-04.
  20. ^ Daisuke Wakabayashi; Katie Benner (October 25, 2018). "How Google Protected Andy Rubin, the 'Father of Android'". New York Times. Archived from the original on 2018-10-25. Retrieved 2018-10-25.
  21. ^ Hamilton, Isobel Asher (October 26, 2018). "Android creator Andy Rubin says the 'wild' allegations about his sexual misconduct and $90 million exit deal are a 'smear campaign'". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 2018-10-30. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  22. ^ Amie Tsang; Adam Satariano (November 1, 2018). "Google Walkout: Employees Stage Protest Over Handling of Sexual Harassment". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2018-11-01. Retrieved 2018-11-01.
  23. ^ Kosoff, Maya (April 6, 2015). "Former Android boss Andy Rubin has raised $48 million to fund hardware companies and joined a VC firm". Business Insider. Axel Springer SE. Archived from the original on 2017-08-02. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  24. ^ a b Tanz, Jason (February 9, 2016). "Andy Rubin unleashed Android on the world. Now watch him do the same with AI". Wired. Archived from the original on 2017-07-05. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  25. ^ Goode, Lauren (June 21, 2017). "Andy Rubin-backed Owl Labs just launched a robotic video conference camera". The Verge. Archived from the original on 2017-06-29. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  26. ^ "Disgraced Google Exec Andy Rubin Quietly Left His Venture Firm Earlier This Year". BuzzFeed News. 11 October 2019. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
  27. ^ Heater, Brian. "Andy Rubin takes leave from Essential, as reports of an improper relationship at Google surface". TechCrunch. Archived from the original on 2017-11-29. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
  28. ^ Wakabayashi, Daisuke (2017-11-29). "Andy Rubin, Android Creator, Steps Away From Firm Amid Misconduct Report". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2017-11-29. Retrieved 2017-11-30.
  29. ^ Wang, Jules (December 10, 2017). "Andy Rubin back at Essential, but he never left Playground Global". PocketNow. Archived from the original on 2018-02-10. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
  30. ^ Schwyzer, Elizabeth. "All aboard the pastry train". Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2017-11-30.
  31. ^ Hartman, Melissa (2018-09-28). "All or muffin: Voyageur du Temps bets on negotiation, forced to vacate". Los Altos Town Crier. Archived from the original on 2018-10-26. Retrieved 2018-10-25.
  32. ^ a b "Disgraced Google Exec Andy Rubin Quietly Left His Venture Firm Earlier This Year". BuzzFeed News. 11 October 2019. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
  33. ^ Lunden, Ingrid. "Andy Rubin's Playground Ventures is raising another $15M". TechCrunch. Archived from the original on 2018-01-04. Retrieved 2018-01-04.
  34. ^ "Android founder Andy Rubin's startup Essential is shutting down, saying there is 'no clear path' to deliver its new phone to customers". Business Insider.
  35. ^ "Here's what we know about Andy Rubin's new Essential phone". Recode. Archived from the original on 2018-01-05. Retrieved 2018-01-04.
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