Strive was founded in 2022 by Vivek Ramaswamy and Anson Frericks with a bold vision: to depoliticize corporate America and restore the voices of everyday citizens in the American economy by leading companies to focus on excellence.

We launched our first ETFs, led corporate governance campaigns, and challenged industry giants to put shareholders first.

In 2023, Strive co-founder Vivek Ramaswamy resigned as Executive Chairman of Strive to serve public America by announcing his candidacy for President of the United States. Following Vivek's resignation, Strive appointed its first CEO, Matt Cole, to lead the company.

Matt brought not only deep experience—having overseen $70 billion in assets at CalPERS—but also a vision for where capitalism needed to go next.

Under Matt’s leadership, Strive sharpened its role in exposing the hidden motives and fallacies behind stakeholder capitalism, ESG, and DEI agendas. We strengthened our intellectual leadership, expanded our engagements, and were unapologetic in our pursuit of shareholder value.

Strive helped ignite the national movement against ESG and DEI mandates that eroded shareholder value and corporate excellence.

Through bold shareholder engagements and high-profile public advocacy, we pressured dozens of companies to rethink race- and gender-based hiring quotas, political proxy voting, and climate-first mandates that distorted corporate priorities.

Our work didn’t just change boardrooms—it helped spark a broader movement to put merit, performance, and shareholders first.

After establishing itself as a leader in the pushback against ESG and DEI mandates, Strive expands its mission to the next frontier: Bitcoin.

It was a natural evolution, driven by our conviction that Bitcoin is the purest expression of what Strive has always stood for—capitalism, meritocracy, innovation, and financial liberty.

In May 2025, Strive Asset Management announced plans to become the first publicly traded asset management firm to adopt a Bitcoin treasury strategy, launching a bold mission to maximize the Bitcoin on its balance sheet.

Strive CEO Matt Cole’s background in fixed income and structured securities, combined with Strive's asset management expertise, equips the firm to pursue Bitcoin accumulation with institutional-grade strategy and discipline—and to effectively advocate for Bitcoin as a core component of corporate capital strategy.