BrotherRobert F. Smith

It’s impossible to imagine that you haven’t heard about Brother Robert F. Smith, the tech entrepreneur and philanthropist, who made history during his 2019 Morehouse College commencement speech by pledging to eliminate the student loan debt of the entire class, including the debt their parents or guardians had incurred on their behalf. Throughout his career, Smith has focused on driving innovation and creating opportunities for others.

His commitment is deeply rooted in his family values and his membership in Alpha Phi Alpha. In 2017, Smith was named on the Forbes “100 Greatest Living Business Minds” list for his innovative approach to investment in the software industry and leadership in private equity. Eight years later, he was named to TIME100’s “Most Influential People in Philanthropy” list in recognition of his generosity.

Smith founded Vista Equity Partners (Vista) in 2000 and today serves as its Chairman and CEO. Vista invests in enterprise softwarethrough private equity and private credit investment strategies and has grown to become a leading global investment firm. The firm also offers private wealth solutions to eligible investors and financial advisors. As Smith’s platform and influence have grown, so has his commitment to giving back to communities that lack access to opportunities.

Smith attributes much of his philanthropic philosophy to his family and the Alpha Phi Alpha commitment to community empowerment. In 2017, Brother Smith was the first Black American to sign the Giving Pledge, and by doing so, agreed to utilize half of his net worth for initiatives providing equal opportunity for underrepresented communities. These philanthropic ideas were united in 2014 under the mission of Fund II Foundation, a nonprofit of which Brother Smith serves as founding director and President. Smith also shows his continued commitment to the Black community as co-founder of Southern Communities Initiative, which is dedicated to advancing racial equity in the six Southern communities where more than half of Black Americans live. 

Smith innovates pathways for the future of Black success in the U.S. And his vision forward includes taking good care of our precious history. Brother Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s homes are now in the care of the National Park Foundation, so our children’s children can step inside history, due to a grant from the Fund II Foundation. The stories of our people are being digitally recorded and preserved at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, due to a grant from Smith, who believes this living tribute will not only enrich education but contribute to new curatorial studies. 

Smith has said that economic success over the next decade will be tied to careers related to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). To ensure the Black community takes part in the next cycle of wealth generation, Brother Smith made $10 million available at Cornell University, his alma mater, for scholarships to support Black and female students pursuing technology-related degrees. In 2022, Smith donated another $15 million to Cornell University’s College of Engineering to establish three funds – the Robert F. Smith Undergraduate Scholarship Fund, the Robert F. Smith Graduate Fellowship Fund and a third fund supporting student participation in career development events and conferences. In 2020, Brother Smith gave a $50 million matching gift to help launch Student Freedom Initiative (SFI), the capstone to his Morehouse College gift. SFI works to help relieve the burden of student loan debt and provides educational resources for qualifying STEM students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs).

Get involved with your community through Alpha Phi Alpha.

Stay up to date with Smith’s latest philanthropic and business efforts by following him on Facebook, Twitter (X), Instagram and LinkedIn and subscribing to his YouTube channel.

Smith is committed to mentorship and shares his insights and experience with professionals and students at events like the ELEVATE conference at Columbia Business School, where he earned his MBA. He also joins leaders on the global stage at the World Economic Forum in Davos to discuss topics like the global impacts of digital transformation. No matter the audience, Smith is always focused on creating opportunities for communities and individuals.

Smith’s philanthropic approach is grounded in a lifelong commitment to community empowerment — a value reinforced through his upbringing and his experience with Alpha Phi Alpha. In 2017, Brother Smith became the first Black American to sign the Giving Pledge, a commitment to donate a majority of his wealth to charitable causes during his lifetime. His approach to philanthropy focuses on opening doors for others.

He is also dedicated to preserving history and expanding access to education and professional opportunities. Under Smith’s leadership, nonprofit Fund II Foundation provided a grant to purchase Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birth and life homes. This secured its preservation under the stewardship of the National Park Foundation, honoring the legacy of Dr. King, who was also an Alpha Phi Alpha brother. In 2025, Smith’s book, “Lead Boldly: Seven Principles from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,” pairs some of Dr. King’s legendary speeches with historical context and personal reflections from Smith.

He is also the co-founder of Southern Communities Initiative (SCI), a catalytic consortium committed to accelerating wealth creation and economic growth in six Southern communities. Smith’s commitment to creating opportunity also extends to education, particularly in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). At Cornell University, his alma mater, Smith established a $10 million scholarship fund for students from underrepresented communities pursuing technology-related degrees. In 2022, he followed up with a $15 million contribution to Cornell University’s College of Engineering to endow several scholarships and support student access to career development events and conferences.

Later, Smith helped launch Student Freedom Initiative (SFI). SFI offers students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) a scalable solution to relieve the burden of student loan debt.

Stay up to date with Smith’s latest philanthropic and business efforts by following him on LinkedIn, Instagram, X, Facebook and YouTube.

Get involved with your community through Alpha Phi Alpha.