Patrick Collison: Personal
The Man Behind the Vision
Early Life
Born in Dromineer
Patrick Collison was born on September 9, 1988, in Dromineer, County Tipperary, Ireland[1]. Growing up in a small village with poor internet connectivity, Patrick and his brother John used satellite links to access the web. Despite the limitations, the internet represented "a connection to the greater world" for Patrick[4].
His parents—Lily, a microbiologist, and Denis, an electronic engineer—created an intellectually stimulating household. Patrick began taking computer courses at the University of Limerick at age eight and started programming by age ten[2].
Young Scientist Victory
At sixteen, Patrick won first place at Ireland's 41st Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition on January 14, 2005. His winning project, Croma, was a LISP-type programming language[1]. He received a €7,500 prize and a Waterford Crystal trophy from Irish President Mary McAleese. The previous year, he had finished as runner-up with a project on artificial intelligence nicknamed "Isaac" after Isaac Newton[1].
MIT Dropout
After attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Patrick dropped out in 2009 to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities[1]. He realized that traditional academics couldn't keep pace with his entrepreneurial ambitions.
Marriage and Arc Institute
In April 2022, Patrick married Silvana Konermann, a Swiss-American biochemist and Stanford University professor. The couple first met at the 2004 EU Young Scientist competition. Together, they co-founded the Arc Institute[1].
Reading & Intellectual Curiosity
Patrick is known for his voracious reading habits and publishes the list of books he reads on his website. His interests span history, technology, engineering, fiction, philosophy, and art[1]. This breadth of knowledge informs his thinking about technology and progress.
"Patrick reportedly reads multiple books weekly. Both Patrick and John are licensed pilots."
— [8]
Writing & Thought Leadership
The Slowing of Scientific Progress
In November 2018, Patrick and Michael Nielsen published "Science is Getting Less Bang for Its Buck" in The Atlantic[9]. The piece argues that despite increased investment in science, we're seeing diminishing returns in scientific output and breakthrough discoveries.
They present evidence that research productivity has declined significantly: it now takes substantially more researchers to achieve the same level of scientific progress as in previous decades. The research efficiency has dropped by a factor of 41 in Moore's Law, meaning it takes 41 times as many scientists today to double chip density every two years as it did in the early 1970s.
Read the full article →Progress Studies
In July 2019, Patrick and economist Tyler Cowen published an opinion piece in The Atlantic advocating for a new academic discipline called "Progress Studies"[10]. This field would study the cultural and institutional conditions that lead to technological and economic advancement.
They argue that while we have fields studying the decline of civilizations, we lack a systematic approach to understanding what drives progress forward. Progress Studies would examine questions like: Why do some societies innovate while others stagnate? What institutional arrangements foster breakthrough discoveries? How can we create conditions for sustained technological advancement?
The goal is to develop frameworks for understanding and accelerating human progress across domains—from science and technology to culture and governance.
Read the full article →Thoughts on Progress and Innovation
Patrick is deeply committed to understanding and accelerating technological progress. His work through Stripe, Arc Institute, and various initiatives reflects a consistent theme: creating the conditions for human flourishing through better institutions, infrastructure, and incentives.
Economic Infrastructure
Building the rails that enable entrepreneurship and economic activity to flourish globally.
Scientific Progress
Creating new models for biomedical research and accelerating scientific breakthroughs.
Institutional Innovation
Rethinking how we structure organizations to maximize long-term thinking and ambitious goals.
Global Perspective
Believing that talent and ambition are distributed globally, not limited by geography.