Philip Rosedale (born September 29, 1968) is an American entrepreneur who founded Linden Lab, which develops and hosts the virtual world Second Life.
Biography
Early life
Rosedale was born in San Diego, California, in 1968. He took an interest in computers, technology, and virtual reality from an early age. He started his own company selling database systems to small businesses at 17 and used the proceeds to fund his college education, ultimately earning a Bachelor of Science degree in physics and computer science from the University of California, San Diego.
Career
In 1995, Rosedale created an Internet video conferencing product (called "FreeVue"), which was later acquired by RealNetworks, where (in 1996) he went on to become vice president and chief technology officer. A year later Rosedale left RealNetworks and founded Linden Lab, named after a street in Hayes Valley (a neighborhood in San Francisco). With the creation of Second Life, he fulfilled his lifelong dream of creating an Internet-scale virtual world. In 2006, he and Linden Lab received WIRED's Rave Award for Innovation in Business. On March 14, 2008, Rosedale announced he would be stepping down as the CEO of Linden Lab and assuming the role of Chairman of the Board of Directors.
