David Ko


David Ko is an American business executive, entrepreneur and the Chief Executive Officer of Calm.com, Inc., a meditation and mental wellness app. Ko has held leadership positions at Yahoo!, Zynga, and Ripple Health Group, and is also a philanthropist and mentor in higher education.

Early life and education

Ko earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance and International Business from the New York University Stern School of Business in 1993.

Career

Ko began his career at Yahoo!, where he served as a senior executive for 10 years. He later joined Zynga, the social-gaming company, serving as Chief Operating Officer.
In 2020, Ko co-founded Ripple Health Group, a healthcare-technology startup focused on patient–provider communication and access to care.
In February 2022, Calm announced its acquisition of Ripple Health Group, appointing Ko as Co-Chief Executive Officer alongside Calm co-founder Michael Acton Smith.

Other positions

Ko serves on the New York University Board of Trustees. In 2021 he and his wife established the David Ko Gift to endow the Stern Venture Fellows, a program supporting students from under-represented backgrounds who are launching startups. He is also a founding member of the Stern Founders and Entrepreneurs Pledge, which encourages alumni to reinvest in future generations of NYU entrepreneurs.

Publications

In 2024, Ko published Recharge: Boosting Your Mental Battery One Conversation at a Time .

Recognition

Ko received the Haskins Award in 2022.

See Also