It's not unusual for public figures to have hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Twitter followers. But just how influential can someone be on the social network anyway? If PeekAnalytics, a platform that calculates social media pull, can be believed: very. Its parent company, the New York-based PeekYou, recently released a list of the top 1,000 tech investors on Twitter. Here's a look at the first 25.
25. Padmasree Warrior
25. Padmasree Warrior
Cisco's Chief Technology and Strategy Officer oversees the computer networking giant's investment and acquisition strategy. Recent memorable Tweet: "Transforming a company is a marathon vs a sprint."Cisco's Chief Technology and Strategy Officer oversees the computer networking giant's investment and acquisition strategy. Recent memorable Tweet: "Transforming a company is a marathon vs a sprint."
24. Steve Case
Since Case co-founded and ran America Online, he launched Revolution an investment firm and parent company with investments in LivingSocial, Zipcar, and web developer UberMedia. Recent memorable Tweet: "Vision without execution is hallucination" - Thomas Edison #StartupAmerica
23. Bill Liao
23. Bill Liao
Liao, who co-founded the German-based social network Xing, joined SOS Ventures last year to focus on discovering and financing Internet and social media companies. He's invested in companies like the Web site Silicon Republic and the online teach materials site Teachable. Recent memorable Tweet: "All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism."Liao, who co-founded the German-based social network Xing, joined SOS Ventures last year to focus on discovering and financing Internet and social media companies. He's invested in companies like the Web site Silicon Republic and the online teach materials site Teachable. Recent memorable Tweet: "All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism."
22. Eric Schmidt
22. Eric Schmidt
Google's chairman and former CEO has backed over 10 companies, from the display advertising company Spongecell to the fine art marketplace Art.sy. Recent memorable Tweet: "Google i/O: 1 million activations of Android phones and tablets every day !!!! Do the math. More than 400 million already."Google's chairman and former CEO has backed over 10 companies, from the display advertising company Spongecell to the fine art marketplace Art.sy. Recent memorable Tweet: "Google i/O: 1 million activations of Android phones and tablets every day !!!! Do the math. More than 400 million already."
21. Dick Costolo
21. Dick Costolo
The ex-Google executive and former standup comic was tapped by Twitter in September of 2009 to head up the social media giant's monetization efforts, but stepped into the role of CEO in 2010. Besides being one of the first investors in Twitter itself, Costolo has invested in TellApart, a provider of customer data-driven marketing solutions. Recent memorable Tweet: "Boy, you take a couple days off to go to an Oboe symposium in Budapest and just LOOK at the place!"The ex-Google executive and former standup comic was tapped by Twitter in September of 2009 to head up the social media giant's monetization efforts, but stepped into the role of CEO in 2010. Besides being one of the first investors in Twitter itself, Costolo has invested in TellApart, a provider of customer data-driven marketing solutions. Recent memorable Tweet: "Boy, you take a couple days off to go to an Oboe symposium in Budapest and just LOOK at the place!"
20. Fred Wilson
Wilson co-founded Union Square Ventures, the prolific New York City-based venture capital firm which has invested in over 100 startups since 2003, including Twitter, Tumblr, Kickstarter, and Etsy. Recent memorable Tweet: "Overheard: 'Don't be a lawyer. This is marketing.'"
19. Richard Simmonds
19. Richard Simmonds
An angel investor, Simmonds also serves as an personal branding consultant for the Johannesburg, South Africa-based consulting firm Gratitude. Recent memorable Tweet: "You're never a loser until you quit trying." -- Mike Ditka #quoteAn angel investor, Simmonds also serves as an personal branding consultant for the Johannesburg, South Africa-based consulting firm Gratitude. Recent memorable Tweet: "You're never a loser until you quit trying." -- Mike Ditka #quote
18. Jay Baer
18. Jay Baer
Baer, who co-authored the "The Now Revolution: 7 Shifts to Make Your Business Faster, Smarter, and More Social," has invested in at least two startups, including social network sharing tool Buffer and CMP.LY, a company that essentially helps companies comply with emerging regulations covering business transactions conducted via social media. Recent memorable Tweet: "If your company sucks, social media is the least of your worries."Baer, who co-authored the "The Now Revolution: 7 Shifts to Make Your Business Faster, Smarter, and More Social," has invested in at least two startups, including social network sharing tool Buffer and CMP.LY, a company that essentially helps companies comply with emerging regulations covering business transactions conducted via social media. Recent memorable Tweet: "If your company sucks, social media is the least of your worries."
17. Tim Ferriss
17. Tim Ferriss
Ferriss is known to many as the author of bestsellers such as the "The 4-Hour Body." Much lesser known is his constant activity in the tech world. Besides serving as an advisor to startups such as Uber and the note-syncing app Evernote, he has also invested in Twitter and the sharing tool Posterous. Recent memorable Tweet: "I have to assume 50% of what both candidates say is not what they believe. Seems impossible to predict post-election behavior :("Ferriss is known to many as the author of bestsellers such as the "The 4-Hour Body." Much lesser known is his constant activity in the tech world. Besides serving as an advisor to startups such as Uber and the note-syncing app Evernote, he has also invested in Twitter and the sharing tool Posterous. Recent memorable Tweet: "I have to assume 50% of what both candidates say is not what they believe. Seems impossible to predict post-election behavior :("
16. Om Malik
16. Om Malik
Malik remains best known for starting one of Silicon Valley's most influential tech blogs, GigaOm, but he's also found time to serve as a partner with TrueVentures, the Palo Alto-based venture capital firm that has backed fitness startup FitBit and Tastemaker X, a mobile app for discovering new music artists. Recent memorable Tweet: "real billionaires have their own mobile phones. cc @zuckerberg @arrington"Malik remains best known for starting one of Silicon Valley's most influential tech blogs, GigaOm, but he's also found time to serve as a partner with TrueVentures, the Palo Alto-based venture capital firm that has backed fitness startup FitBit and Tastemaker X, a mobile app for discovering new music artists. Recent memorable Tweet: "real billionaires have their own mobile phones. cc @zuckerberg @arrington"
15. Chris Sacca
15. Chris Sacca
Sacca once worked as Google's Head of Special Initiatives, where he led the company's alternative access and wireless divisions. Since at least 2006, he's proven a prolific investor, pouring money into companies like Twitter, Instagram, and Kickstarter, to name a few. Recent memorable Tweet: "According to my timeline, college football should be running for Congress."Sacca once worked as Google's Head of Special Initiatives, where he led the company's alternative access and wireless divisions. Since at least 2006, he's proven a prolific investor, pouring money into companies like Twitter, Instagram, and Kickstarter, to name a few. Recent memorable Tweet: "According to my timeline, college football should be running for Congress."
14. Jason Calacanis
14. Jason Calacanis
Calacanis co-founded Weblogs, the online publisher of sites like Engadget, before it was acquired by AOL for $25 million in 2005. He currently serves as CEO of the search engine Mahalo, but also finds time to invest in companies like the travel recommendations-sharing site Wanderfly and Thumbtack, a marketplace for users to hire local services: gardening, electrical work, and others. Recent memorable Tweet: "I don't know who Amanda Bynes is, but apparently she isn't a good driver. #gosocialmedia #inane"Calacanis co-founded Weblogs, the online publisher of sites like Engadget, before it was acquired by AOL for $25 million in 2005. He currently serves as CEO of the search engine Mahalo, but also finds time to invest in companies like the travel recommendations-sharing site Wanderfly and Thumbtack, a marketplace for users to hire local services: gardening, electrical work, and others. Recent memorable Tweet: "I don't know who Amanda Bynes is, but apparently she isn't a good driver. #gosocialmedia #inane"
13. Jeff Pulver
13. Jeff Pulver
The Vonage co-founder and self-described "habitual entrepreneur" has invested in nprogress, a mobile social discovery platform, and SemantiNet, maker of a Firefox Web add-on. Recent memorable Tweet: "Every day we have yet another chance to make a difference."The Vonage co-founder and self-described "habitual entrepreneur" has invested in nprogress, a mobile social discovery platform, and SemantiNet, maker of a Firefox Web add-on. Recent memorable Tweet: "Every day we have yet another chance to make a difference."
12. Mark Cuban
12. Mark Cuban
The self-made businessman and Dallas Mavericks owner has invested in numerous startups, from the enterprise-focused file-sharing service Box to Flingo, a company specializing in apps for Smart TVs. Recent memorable Tweet: "Hardest job in busineas is not lying to yourself. No one ever thinks they are doing a lousy job. Guess what, sometimes we all suck"The self-made businessman and Dallas Mavericks owner has invested in numerous startups, from the enterprise-focused file-sharing service Box to Flingo, a company specializing in apps for Smart TVs. Recent memorable Tweet: "Hardest job in busineas is not lying to yourself. No one ever thinks they are doing a lousy job. Guess what, sometimes we all suck"
11. Tim O'Reilly
11. Tim O'Reilly
The O'Reilly Media founder has invested in Federated Media, the podcasting service and the podcasting service Odeo. Recent memorable Tweet: "Just noticed that I have nearly two hundred thousand more followers on Google+ than on Twitter. An underrated phenomenon. Love them both."The O'Reilly Media founder has invested in Federated Media, the podcasting service and the podcasting service Odeo. Recent memorable Tweet: "Just noticed that I have nearly two hundred thousand more followers on Google+ than on Twitter. An underrated phenomenon. Love them both."
10. Kevin Rose
10. Kevin Rose
Rose has been on both sides of the fence, first as the man behind content aggregator Digg, now as a partner at Google Ventures. Throughout the years, he's invested in companies like Draw Something-maker OMGPOP, which was bought by Zynga earlier this year, to Square and Twitter, to Zynga itself. Recent memorable Tweet: "You know you're getting old when you have to "stay up" till midnight."Rose has been on both sides of the fence, first as the man behind content aggregator Digg, now as a partner at Google Ventures. Throughout the years, he's invested in companies like Draw Something-maker OMGPOP, which was bought by Zynga earlier this year, to Square and Twitter, to Zynga itself. Recent memorable Tweet: "You know you're getting old when you have to "stay up" till midnight."
9. Gary Vaynerchuk
9. Gary Vaynerchuk
The video blogger and wine aficionado has poured millions into startups like the black car app Uber, monthly beauty delivery service Birchbox, and the location service, Gowalla, acquired by Facebook. Recent memorable Tweet: "The amount of people I am going to hire next year for @vaynermedia might single handily change the unemployment rate - we are crashing"The video blogger and wine aficionado has poured millions into startups like the black car app Uber, monthly beauty delivery service Birchbox, and the location service, Gowalla, acquired by Facebook. Recent memorable Tweet: "The amount of people I am going to hire next year for @vaynermedia might single handily change the unemployment rate - we are crashing"
8. Al Gore
America's former Vice President wears many hats these days: co-founder of the independent cable TV news network Current TV, Nobel Peace Prize winner, senior partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers, and Apple board member. Last year, he invested money into the video search startup VideoSurf, which was reportedly acquired by Microsoft later for $70 million. Recent memorable Tweet: "Global warming is real and they refuse to connect those dots."
7. Jonah Lupton
7. Jonah Lupton
Lupton is the founder and CEO of Cauzly.com, a Kickstarter-like site for nonprofits. He's also the founder of Parabolic Ventures, a Boston-based venture capital firm. To date, he's invested in companies like EndeavorCard, a membership rewards card for business executives and entrepreneurs. Recent memorable Tweet: "It's important to control your emotions in the midst of adversity."Lupton is the founder and CEO of Cauzly.com, a Kickstarter-like site for nonprofits. He's also the founder of Parabolic Ventures, a Boston-based venture capital firm. To date, he's invested in companies like EndeavorCard, a membership rewards card for business executives and entrepreneurs. Recent memorable Tweet: "It's important to control your emotions in the midst of adversity."
6. Biz Stone
6. Biz Stone
Twitter's other co-founder has invested over $15 million in ventures including Jack Dorsey's booming mobile payments startup Square and Viddy, an app for producing and sharing 15-second video clips. Recent memorable Tweet: "Our 8 month old can't talk yet but he's trying to say something--he either wants "Mama," or "Mohamed Morsi," I can't tell."Twitter's other co-founder has invested over $15 million in ventures including Jack Dorsey's booming mobile payments startup Square and Viddy, an app for producing and sharing 15-second video clips. Recent memorable Tweet: "Our 8 month old can't talk yet but he's trying to say something--he either wants "Mama," or "Mohamed Morsi," I can't tell."
5. Evan Williams
5. Evan Williams
The Nebraska native, who recently unveiled the new online publishing tool Medium with fellow Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, has also invested in EverFi, a learning platform for schools, as well as Kevin Rose's mobile development team Milk, acquired by Google earlier this year. Recent memorable Tweet: "Yes, there will be other ads (like on Twitter :), but TV ads are most pernicious because they attack while the mind is passive and dulled."The Nebraska native, who recently unveiled the new online publishing tool Medium with fellow Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, has also invested in EverFi, a learning platform for schools, as well as Kevin Rose's mobile development team Milk, acquired by Google earlier this year. Recent memorable Tweet: "Yes, there will be other ads (like on Twitter :), but TV ads are most pernicious because they attack while the mind is passive and dulled."
4. Jack Dorsey
4. Jack Dorsey
Dorsey may have cemented his reputation as one of Silicon Valley's brightest first with Twitter, then Square, but the St. Louis, Miss. native has also poured millions into companies like Kickstarter, Instagram, and Foursquare. Recent memorable Tweet: "Great art makes you feel superhuman. The dentist, however, makes you feel really human."Dorsey may have cemented his reputation as one of Silicon Valley's brightest first with Twitter, then Square, but the St. Louis, Miss. native has also poured millions into companies like Kickstarter, Instagram, and Foursquare. Recent memorable Tweet: "Great art makes you feel superhuman. The dentist, however, makes you feel really human."
3. Richard Branson
3. Richard Branson
The self-described "tie-loathing adventurer" and thrill seeker remains best known for the Virgin Group, a giant conglomerate that includes Virgin America and Virgin Megastores. Recent investments include Jack Dorsey's quickly growing mobile payments startup Square and Codeacademy, an online service that teaches users how to program. Recent memorable Tweet: "In business as in life, all that matters is that you do something positive."The self-described "tie-loathing adventurer" and thrill seeker remains best known for the Virgin Group, a giant conglomerate that includes Virgin America and Virgin Megastores. Recent investments include Jack Dorsey's quickly growing mobile payments startup Square and Codeacademy, an online service that teaches users how to program. Recent memorable Tweet: "In business as in life, all that matters is that you do something positive."
2. Guy Kawasaki
2. Guy Kawasaki
The former Apple employee, bestselling book author, and founder of Garage Technology Ventures has invested in the job site Simply Hired and Posterous, a blogging platform. Recent memorable Tweet: "Fancy names encourage kids to eat more veggies"The former Apple employee, bestselling book author, and founder of Garage Technology Ventures has invested in the job site Simply Hired and Posterous, a blogging platform. Recent memorable Tweet: "Fancy names encourage kids to eat more veggies"
1. Ashton Kutcher
The Two And A Half Men star arguably helped kickstart a recent trend of celebrities-turned-investors, which now include Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, and Leonardo DiCaprio to name a few. To date, he's invested in popular startups ranging from Airbnb to Flipboard and Path. Friends of Kutcher's describe him as a helpful advisor to startups in his portfolio. Recent memorable Tweet: "A person who collects ties is known as a grabatologist."
* According to PeekAnalytics, the Pull Quotient gauges someone's Twitter followers and their connectivity across sixty social sites, then compares how influential that Twitter audience is to the average Twitter account.
