Palestinian Billionaire: They Cancelled Me For Gaza. I Built a $9B Empire Instead

Amjad Masad is the co-founder and CEO of Replit, a $9 billion AI company.Born in Jordan to a Palestinian family displaced during the Nakba, he taught himself to code on his father's first computer - and refused to hide his identity on the way up.In this episode, he breaks down what speaking up cost him, how he built Replit to a $9B valuation, and his advice for Muslim founders looking to build.-------------------Join Launchpad: https://founderlaunchpad.io/The online startup school for working professionals.Go from idea to paying customers in six weeks.Start Date: 2nd Aug.-------------------Follow Amjad:https://x.com/amasadhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/amjadmasad/https://replit.com/-------------------0:00 - Introduction2:13 - His Grandfather's Life in Palestine Before the Nakba5:31 - His Father Buying the Neighbourhood's First Computer7:22 - Competitive Swimming, Counter-Strike & the Making of a Builder9:20 - Why He Refuses to Hide His Palestinian Identity12:02 - October 7th: Why He Couldn't Stay Silent14:30 - Cancelled: Silent Group Chats, Empty Calendar, Dead Deals17:14 - Using His Influence for Palestine19:22 - His Advice for Muslim Builders Navigating Their Morals21:40 - Clashing With Silicon Valley's Most Powerful VCs23:36 - The Quran Verse That Changed How He Sees Struggle25:56 - The Role Models He Admires27:54 - Paul Graham Advice He Thinks About Every Day29:35 - The Legacy He Wants to Leave in 20 Years32:14 - Meeting Mamdani & Breaking the Rules of American Politics35:13 - Internet Cafes in Jordan to Inventing Replit41:13 - Turning Down $1 Billion While His Mother Fought Cancer44:18 - $2M to $1B ARR: Inside Replit's Explosive 3 Years51:30 - There's No Playbook: How to Build in 2026