Stephen Kaufer

Stephen Kaufer is an entrepreneur and technology executive recognized as the co-founder of TripAdvisor, a major platform in the travel and hospitality industry. Kaufer holds a Bachelor of Arts in computer science from Harvard University. Early in his career, he co-founded CenterLine Software, a company focused on developing programming and testing tools for software engineers, and served as president of CDS, Inc., an independent software vendor.

Kaufer launched TripAdvisor with Langley Steinert, initially as a business-to-business database of travel information for consumer-facing sites such as Expedia and AOL. He later transitioned TripAdvisor to a consumer-focused model, making it publicly accessible, aggregating information on hotels and attractions, encouraging user reviews, and generating revenue through referral fees from travel companies. Under Kaufer’s leadership as CEO, TripAdvisor expanded to include 24 travel media brands operating in 48 markets worldwide, attracting more than 400 million visitors per month.

Kaufer has received several awards for entrepreneurship and leadership in the travel industry, including induction into the British Travel & Hospitality Hall of Fame, the Pioneer Award from the International Society of Hospitality Consultants, and the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. He holds multiple software patents and has spoken at numerous travel and technology conferences globally.

After retiring as TripAdvisor’s CEO, Kaufer co-founded Give Freely, a browser extension designed to help users save money while shopping online and generate donations to charities through retailer-paid affiliate marketing commissions. This initiative reflects Kaufer’s ongoing commitment to leveraging technology for social impact within the e-commerce and charitable giving sectors.

Kaufer has served on the Board of Directors for Glassdoor and currently serves on the Board of Directors of CarGurus. He is also a member of the Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation’s Board of Directors, supporting research in memory of his first wife, Caroline. Kaufer’s career demonstrates a focus on entrepreneurship, digital innovation, and the use of technology to build communities and drive positive change in both the travel and nonprofit sectors.