Last updated: August 12, 2026
When people hear the name Kushner, most think of Jared — the real-estate heir, former White House adviser, and son-in-law of Donald Trump. Yet the younger brother, Josh Kushner, has quietly built a fortune and influence that now surpasses the family’s more famous political branch. At 41, Josh stands as the richest member of the Kushner clan, a venture capitalist whose firm Thrive Capital has backed Instagram, Spotify, Stripe, and OpenAI. His story is not one of inheritance alone, but of deliberate distance from the family real-estate empire and a sharp eye for technology’s next wave.
Table of Contents
The Kushner Brothers: Shared Roots, Separate Paths
Josh and Jared grew up in an Orthodox Jewish household in Livingston, New Jersey, the sons of Charles and Seryl Kushner. Their grandparents were Holocaust survivors who built a real-estate foundation after arriving in the United States in 1949. Charles expanded that into a major development firm, only to face legal troubles that sent him to prison in the mid-2000s. Jared stepped in to run Kushner Companies. Josh, still a student at Harvard, chose a different route.
While Jared stayed close to the family’s property business and later entered politics through his marriage to Ivanka Trump, Josh founded Thrive Capital in 2009 while finishing his MBA. The brothers have collaborated at times — co-founding the real-estate tech platform Cadre and sharing ownership of a property-management company — yet Josh has kept a lower public profile and maintained political independence. He has described himself as a lifelong Democrat and has avoided endorsing Trump, even as his brother and father remain closely tied to the administration. Their father currently serves as U.S. ambassador to France.
Thrive Capital: How Josh Built an Empire of His Own
Thrive began with modest funds and grew into one of New York’s most respected venture firms. By 2026 it manages roughly $25 billion in assets. Early bets on Instagram and later investments in OpenAI helped propel Josh’s personal net worth to an estimated $5.2 billion, making him the first Kushner on the Forbes billionaire list years earlier and the wealthiest of the siblings today.
Key moves include:
- Early-stage backing of category-defining tech companies
- Expanding into sports ownership, including minority stakes in the Miami Heat and, more recently, involvement in the record $12 billion purchase of the Los Angeles Lakers alongside former Disney CEO Bob Iger
- Launching initiatives that blend technology with cultural assets
Josh also co-founded Oscar Health, the health-insurance startup built around the Affordable Care Act, and remains its vice-chairman. The contrast with his brother’s political world could not be clearer.
Family Snapshot: The Next Generation of Kushners
| Family Member | Role / Focus | Notable Connection | Approx. Net Worth (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Kushner | Founder, Thrive Capital | Married to Karlie Kloss; 3 children | $5.2 billion |
| Jared Kushner | Investor, diplomat | Married to Ivanka Trump | ~$1 billion |
| Charles Kushner | Real-estate developer | U.S. Ambassador to France | Family stake ~$3+ billion |
| Nicole & Dara | Lower public profiles | Involved in or connected to family businesses | Not publicly detailed |
Josh and Karlie Kloss, the supermodel who converted to Judaism, married in 2018. They have three children and maintain a relatively private life focused on family and business rather than political headlines.
What Sets Josh Apart in 2026
In a family defined by real estate and politics, Josh represents the technology pivot. He has turned New York into a credible rival to Silicon Valley for venture capital. Recent moves into professional sports ownership signal a broader interest in cultural and entertainment assets. At the same time, reports of Thrive’s possible role in private investment discussions around FIFA’s commercial rights show how far his influence now reaches.
He continues to operate largely out of the spotlight, preferring deal-making to cable-news cycles. That restraint has served him well. While public attention often fixates on Jared’s political roles, the quieter brother has delivered the larger financial results.
Conclusion
Josh Kushner Brother: Josh Kushner’s path illustrates that legacy can be both a foundation and a launchpad. He and Jared share the same parents, the same upbringing, and occasional business partnerships, yet they have carved distinct identities — one in technology and venture capital, the other in real estate and public service. As of August 2026, Josh’s Thrive Capital and expanding sports interests position him as the Kushner most likely to shape the next chapter of the family’s influence. In an era when family names still open doors, he has proven that independent vision and disciplined investing can open even bigger ones.