# Linda Rottenberg

> Linda Rottenberg is the co-founder and CEO of Endeavor, the global nonprofit she started with Peter Kellner in 1997 to support high-impact entrepreneurs in emerging and underserved markets. She is the author of Crazy Is a Compliment and helped build Endeavor Catalyst, the organization’s co-investment arm. Her work centers on founders who reinvest their success through mentorship, investment and new businesses.

- **Role:** Co-Founder & CEO at Endeavor
- **Organizations:** Endeavor, Endeavor Catalyst, Globant, Pershing Square SPARC Holdings, Yale Ventures Advisory Board, Yale President’s Council on International Activities, Ashoka (former)
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** B.A. in Social Studies, magna cum laude, Harvard College, J.D., Yale Law School
- **Known for:** Co-founded and continues to lead Endeavor., Authored the New York Times bestseller Crazy Is a Compliment., Received the 2018 Heinz Award for Technology, the Economy and Employment.

## Career timeline

- **1993** — Graduated from Yale Law School.
- **1990s** — Worked in Latin America on legal education and with Ashoka.
- **1997** — Co-founded Endeavor with Peter Kellner; initial operations in Argentina and Chile.
- **2012** — Endeavor Catalyst launched as a rules-based co-investment fund.
- **2013** — Endeavor began establishing U.S. affiliates.
- **2014** — Published Crazy Is a Compliment: The Power of Zigging When Everyone Else Zags.
- **2018** — Received the 23rd Heinz Award in Technology, the Economy and Employment.
- **2025** — Interviewed Demis Hassabis and Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the Athens Innovation Summit.
- **2026** — Made her first visit to Bucharest for Endeavor Romania’s fifth anniversary.

## Achievements

- Co-founded and continues to lead Endeavor.
- Authored the New York Times bestseller Crazy Is a Compliment.
- Received the 2018 Heinz Award for Technology, the Economy and Employment.
- Received Yale Law School’s Award of Merit in 2019.
- Helped develop Endeavor Catalyst and the Multiplier Effect approach to entrepreneurship support.

## Latest updates

- **2026-07** — Endeavor published a NewsPicks interview about Japan, AI applications, founder networks and the challenges of scaling.
- **2026-07** — Endeavor Romania reported her first Bucharest visit during its fifth-anniversary celebrations.
- **2026-03** — Endeavor published her 2025 gala speech arguing that AI innovation will also come from overlooked markets.

## Links

- Website: https://endeavor.org/about-us/linda-rottenberg/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindarottenberg/
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/lindarottenberg

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/linda-rottenberg
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-09