Early Life
Tony Xu was born Xu Xun in Nanjing, China, in either 1983 or 1984. At the age of four, he immigrated to the United States with his parents. They settled in Champaign, Illinois. His mother, a doctor in China, faced challenges in practicing medicine in the U.S. and later opened acupuncture and medical clinics in the San Francisco Bay Area. His father was a professor in China and studied aerospace engineering. Xu worked at a young age, washing dishes in the restaurant where his mother worked.
Rise to Success
Xu attended the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial engineering and operations research. He later received a Master of Business Administration degree from the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 2013. Prior to founding DoorDash, Xu gained experience at Square, McKinsey & Company, eBay, and PayPal. In 2013, Xu co-founded DoorDash with Stanford classmates Andy Fang, Evan Moore, and Stanley Tang. The inspiration for DoorDash came from observing the challenges faced by small business owners, including his mother. DoorDash's initial public offering (IPO) in December 2020 made Xu a billionaire.
Key Business Strategies
Under Xu's leadership, DoorDash has focused on operational excellence, customer experience, and supporting local economies. The company expanded rapidly, offering delivery services in numerous cities across the U.S., Canada, Australia, Japan and Germany. DoorDash has also expanded its service offerings, including grocery and retail delivery.
Philanthropy
Tony Xu and his wife, Patti, are signatories to the Giving Pledge, committing to donate the majority of their wealth to charitable causes. They have made significant donations to organizations within the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community.
