Swiss-American biochemist Silvana Konermann and her husband Patrick Collison have to be one of the most innovative couples ever who are both equally famous in the world of science and technology.
If you are curious about the couple, here are 5 surprising facts about Silvana Konermann’s husband Patrick Collison, that you should know. Stay with us.
5. Silvana Konermann’s Husband Patrick Collison, Is The Youngest Self-Made Billionaire
Patrick Collison amassed a massive fortune by co-founding Stripe, an online payment company he started with his brother John Collison in 2010.
The Collison brothers became the world’s youngest self-made billionaires after a fundraising round valued the company at $5 billion in 2015. Did you know Stripe processed $817 billion in transactions in 2022?
Today, Patrick and his brother John have a net worth of $5.5 billion each. They are the wealthiest entrepreneurs in Ireland, with six other Irish billionaires on Forbes’ World Billionaire List.
The Collison brothers joined the esteemed list in 2016 when they were around 28 and 26 years old, respectively, making them the world’s youngest self-made billionaires.
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The idea for Stripe occurred while both were in college in Cambridge at MIT. Currently, Patrick handles engineering and serves as the company’s spokesperson.
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4. He Met His Future Wife at a National Scientific Competition.
At 17, Patrick came second at a high-profile national competition for young scientists. It was his future wife, Silvana Konermann, who came first.
Both Silvana and her husband, Patrick, were 17 when they took part in the 2005 EU Young Scientist Competition in Moscow. Silvana walked away with the top prize beating Patrick into second place.
The tech couple, Patrick and Silvana, married in April 2022 in a romantic ceremony in Italy. Their engagement took place back in 2019.
Talking about her profession, Silvana works as an assistant professor of biochemistry at Stanford University in California. Additionally, she has a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from MIT.
3. Skipping High School Exams
Collison’s dedication to his entrepreneurial pursuits was evident from an early age. At 16 years old, he decided to skip his high school exams to focus on building a software company.
This bold move showcases his confidence and determination to follow his path outside of traditional education.
As a result, the Collison brothers became the youngest self-made billionaires in Ireland.
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2. A Broad Range of Interests
Although Collison is primarily known for his work in the tech industry, he has a diverse range of interests and pursuits. He has expressed a passion for various subjects such as history, economics, and philosophy.
Patrick’s intellectual curiosity extends beyond his immediate field and contributes to his ability to think critically and approach problems from different angles.
.@patrickc‘s office. Look at this nesting I have to put up with next to me. pic.twitter.com/RLPx4cyrIo
— John Collison (@collision) June 28, 2016
After winning a national exhibition, Patrick was named the brightest redhead in Ireland thanks to his fascination for computers and the internet.
1. Initiatives for Scientific Research
Collison and his brother John founded the Collison Foundation to support charitable causes, particularly in education and scientific research.
The foundation has donated significantly to organizations such as the OpenAI research lab and the Long Now Foundation, highlighting Collison’s commitment to advancing scientific knowledge and fostering innovation.
Along with his wife, Silvana, Patrick established the Arc Institute amid a pandemic to accelerate biomedical research.
Silvana Konermann’s husband Patrick Collison, in collaboration with Tony Blair, the former prime minister of the UK, endorsed a radical plan to make the UK a science superpower.