Marc Tarpenning started building and programming computers as a teenager and earned an A.B. degree in Computer Science from University of California, Berkeley.

In 1997, he and Martin Eberhard founded NuvoMedia, an electronic book company that pioneered the legal and technological framework for the digital distribution of eBooks. NuvoMedia, and their Rocket eBook reader, was sold to Gemstar/TV Guide in 2000.

In 2003, Marc and Martin co-founded Tesla Motors. At Tesla, Mr. Tarpenning ran the electrical engineering group in addition to being the acting CFO for the first three years. Tesla Motors became a public company in 2010 and dominates the electric car market with its Model S, Model X and now the new Model 3. Tesla customers have driven over 4 billion electric miles and the company employs over 30,000 people.

Since leaving Tesla Motors, Mr. Tarpenning has been Entrepreneur in Residence at Mayfield Fund, sits on several company Advisory Boards, speaks frequently on entrepreneurship, is a publicly elected School Board Trustee for the Woodside Elementary School District, a Trustee for the private Nueva School, a member of the Advisory Board of the Science Learning Institute at Foothill College, and an elected Member representing Area Three of the San Mateo County Committee on School District Organization.