---
title: 'Founders of AppNexus and WeWork went to high school together… in Eugene'
date: '2016-05-24T07:28:37-07:00'
type: post
word_count: 154
char_count: 1112
tokens: 201
categories:
  - '#featured'
  - Eugene
  - Oregon
  - Startups
tags:
  - appnexus
  - Eugene
  - 'high school'
  - wework
---

# Founders of AppNexus and WeWork went to high school together… in Eugene

Not a day goes by that Oregon doesn’t bemoan its perceived inability to grow the type of talent that builds billion dollar companies. But fact of the matter is we *do* create that kind of talent. Retention is more of the issue. And sometimes, even if we lose the founders, their impact is still felt locally. Cases in point, [AppNexus](http://appnexus.com "AppNexus") and <a href="" title="http://wework.com/">WeWork</a>. [Whose founders met in high school. In Eugene](http://fortune.com/2016/05/24/wework-appnexus-basketball/ "They Played High School Basketball Together. Now, They Lead Billion-Dollar Companies.").

[http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated\_f9?isVid=1&amp;isUI=1](http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1)

For more, [read the article in Fortune](http://fortune.com/2016/05/24/wework-appnexus-basketball/ "They Played High School Basketball Together. Now, They Lead Billion-Dollar Companies.").

*(Hat tip [Pat McCarthy](https://twitter.com/patmccarthy/status/735108751326216192))*