Ando Arashi

Ando Arashi

Jack Selby established Ando Arashi after his tenure at PayPal, where he served as a corporate officer and international vice president during the company's formative years before its acquisition by eBay. That experience anchored his wealth and network, placing him within the influential group of early PayPal employees known as the "PayPal Mafia." The firm name combines the Japanese words for a period of calm ("ando") and storm ("arashi"), reflecting a mandate for long-duration capital with a tolerance for volatility. Ando Arashi operates across public equities, venture capital, and special situations, with a portfolio spanning financial technology, media, and clean energy. The firm has historically concentrated its investments, maintaining a deliberately low number of active positions. Past public equity disclosures include stakes in TriState Capital Holdings and Clean Energy Fuels Corp. In private markets, Selby is known as a co-founder and managing partner at AZ-VC, an Arizona-focused venture fund that has backed local software and fintech startups, complementing Ando Arashi's broader mandate. Selby relocated to Arizona in the early 2000s, and Ando Arashi reflects that geographic commitment. The firm co-anchors the state's growing technology investment ecosystem alongside AZ-VC, with an emphasis on building companies rather than merely funding them. In 2014, Selby appeared on CNBC discussing his investment in "Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie," funded through his production arm and distributed by Magnolia Pictures, illustrating the firm's willingness to engage in unconventional media financing. Ando Arashi's team remains lean, centered on Selby as the primary decision-maker, with operations run from the Phoenix area. Ando Arashi's structural distinction lies in its fusion of a single-family capital base with an outward-facing venture platform. Selby runs his own book alongside the AZ-VC fund, creating deal flow that benefits both vehicles without the typical LP/GP tension found in institutional firms. This structure allows Ando Arashi to hold positions through market cycles without redemption pressure, while AZ-VC provides a formal vehicle for external co-investors. Selby's ongoing role as a director of The Thiel Foundation further ties the firm to a broader network of technology principals.