so sad. https://om.co/2026/06/24/1966-2026/… @om was one of the good humans. he would make you feel that you are super close friends when we would meet only occasionally…not many people have that energy to do that. will miss you deeply, but will not forget your impact

Om Malik, 1966-2026

Source: https://om.co/2026/06/24/1966-2026/ My condolences to family and friends. I’ve been reading Om’s blog for years and always enjoyed his insight, and especially his interweaved creative endeavors. His photography has always been striking. He’ll be missed.

1. Om was such a force around innovation throughout the early 2000s.. I relied on his writing and council as a venture capitalist with Orange Ventures any numerous articles on the work we did throughout the early days of Android. He had a talent for honing it on and distilling leading technologies help others understand their potential. and for the past decade or more it’s been fun to see the world through his lens and his photography posts. May his memory be a blessing.

I didn’t know Om well, but I savored my encounters with him, the last of which was a year ago at WWDC. He had been doing the best writing of his life in recent months on this site, and in his absence, we will all understand the tech industry a little less well. I’m so very sorry.

1. A sad day when we lose one of the most supportive and brightest. He was a father and mentor to the entire Gigaom family, helping us become better writers, and humans, than we thought we could be. I will miss you, Om. Peace to you and yours.

We never met, never even talked really- just a couple of brief pleasantries exchanged here and there over shared interests… yet this news is like a gut punch.

Om was an insightful, steadying voice throughout my time associated with the technology industry- his experience calmed choppy waters, and was often a much needed dose of perspective in a world increasingly happy to focus on style over substance. His essays felt like a throwback in the best possible way, and his passion for elegance and craftsmanship was infectious.

I thank him for the gift of his knowledge, and his unerring passion for the interesting. I hope his legacy brings comfort to his family and loved ones.

1. Om was a pioneer, always curious, intellectual depth, an astute chronicler of our time and foremost a good person

A great man. What a terrible loss for the SF community.

This is terrible news … so so sad i have never met him in real life only followed through online blogs and also on his site …life is fragile, may his soul rest in peace …all we have got is today and thats reality 🙁 We will learn some amazing things he taught us via his writing and some observations… Words , emotions, interaction via comments really have meaning … Thank you Om …May you rest in peace and strength to family

Om was always thoughtful and smart, with his unique perspective on tech, pens, health, photography and so many other things. We first met when he was an Advisor to about.me, where I worked. He responded anywhere. My condolences to his family and loved ones.

My condolences to Om’s family and friends. I have been a long-time reader of his work for so many years. Rest in peace, and let’s all take care of and appreciate each other while we can.

This is horrible news. I’m so sorry to hear. I met Om once for coffee and we emailed each other with talk of cameras and settings and all that good stuff. He will be thought of often and missed immensely. — Matt

I met Om almost 13 years ago via Matt Mullenweg. Om was so generous with his time, advice, and great at making a founder feel like a friend. I still remember our meeting and time spent. My condolences, he will be missed and very much remembered.

I’m so sad to hear this — I never met a kinder entrepreneur.

I only met Om a handful of times, but he shared two lasting lessons with me.

The first was when he was running GigaOm and I was a cub tech reporter at the SF Chronicle. He was skeptical about hiring me, he said, because newspaper writers were generally too slow and didn’t understand web-era publishing. He was right, and it pushed me to leave newspapers as quickly as I could to prove that I could evolve.

The second was many years later, when I was having a drink with him and some other reporters. We asked him what advice he had for us, and he said: never name your blog after yourself.

I’m happy to have known him even a little, and my condolences to his friends and family.

Om was one of the greats. A terrific journalist, a fixture of Silicon Valley, and a good friend. He was always brutally honest and usually right.

He will be missed.

I’m so very sorry. Om was a good person, To sort carefully about everything from friends to family, I will miss him. My condolences.

Om, I’m so glad we made time to meetup at the SF Pen Ahow last fall. Pens, paper, writing, friendships. Your happy place. You were running late because you were volunteering and helping the show for a community you loved so much.

Thank you my sweet, sweet friend.

My condolences. Om’s writing was a calm space in the whirling dervish that is the internet. I’ll miss reading his missives and witnessing more of his photography.

I’m so sad. Om was a true pioneer and a role model. My greatest sympathy to his family. I’m truly shaken by this news.

Deepest condolences. This is crushing for the Malik Family, and his massive fandom.

When one read his note about taking a short break, little did we know that would be his last missive.

Au Revoir, Om. Your words will continue to inspire.

Thoughtful, Wise and Sincere. Responsive to comments. I learned so much reading and reflecting on his writing.

I too was a casual friend (more casual than I wish I had been) but I recall fondly every interaction we had over the years, when I moved to the Bay Area back in 2006, Om was one of the friendliest and also best folks to know in the tech scene here. I remember great discussions at various events over the years and as Harry notes his writing in recent months has been fantastic. May his memory be a blessing.

I will miss “On my Om” and I’m sure I won’t be alone in that. Rest in peace, Om, and condolences to family and friends.

My heartfelt condolences. We’ve exchanged thoughtful comments on this blog and connected a few times on social media, but I will truly miss his endless curiosity about the world. His passion extended beyond technology; he had a remarkable ability to capture the moments he experienced through the lens of a camera. He didn’t just transport you to those scenes; he also made you aware of why they mattered and why you should care.

There are very few newsletters I eagerly anticipate, despite subscribing to numerous ones. His was one of the four that I looked forward to with genuine enthusiasm. Om will be deeply missed by many, as his writing accomplished something few others achieve today: it inspired us to strive to be better human beings. R.I.P.

Om was one of my first bosses in journalism, and the lessons he taught me have been a part of my daily life ever since. Following him through blogs and social media in the time since, I always admired how kind and curious he always was, in addition to being one of the sharpest minds about tech out there. Shocked and saddened by the news, and deepest sympathies to his friends and family.

When I first started spending time on the web and reading a lot about tech news, GigaOm was one of the best websites I regularly visited. When I joined Twitter, Om was among the first persons I followed. When I started listening to podcasts, Om was one of the voices I liked the most (I believe he was a regular on Twit dot TV). When I finally got to work in the industry myself, I had the chance to meet him and tell him in person, in Paris, at the Le Web event, while shaking his hand, that I was a big fan. I remember this moment very clearly (it was in the media break room) as I felt so lucky to meet one of my web heroes. I was very shy, and I could have (should have) told him that he was one of my inspirations. Ever since that moment, Om kept on proving he was one of the best observers and commentators of the industry, and one of the best writers. His blog is so good. This feels so sudden, too soon. My thoughts are with his loved ones. I’m so sorry. His words, his writing, his thoughts, hisimpeccabletaste will be missed.

Sad to hear of Om’s passing. We kept in loose touch over nearly two decades. I was fortunate to have a few meals with him and treasured our conversations and his company. Outstanding writer, kind hearted, warm spirited, and very insightful. Loved talking watches with him as well. He was always open to interesting ideas, no matter where they came from. A wonderful human, a gift to know. ❤️

I admired Om as a pioneer in tech journalism, but also as a man with a kind heart and soul. At the height of his powers, he was a giant, but a giant with a conscience. His loss leaves us all a little poorer at a time when we need a mind and a conscience like his more than ever. May his memory be a blessing.

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajioon (RIP).

I am in shock. I knew Om from when he was still an active journalist, before even GigaOm, and remember fondly our geeky conversations on how to free journalism from its Big Tech shackles using RSS. He was not much older than me, and I kept bumping into him at random when I still lived in San Francisco.

My sincere condolences to his family and friends.

I met Om a few times, talked on the phone with him a couple times, but I wish I’d known him better. He was a giant in our business, and even though he’s gone, his influence continues on.

I am shocked, he was a close friend, we are the same age and grew up in New Delhi, first met him in the 90’s when he interviewed me, and after that we shared our love for technology and photography… I dont even know what else to say, I wanted to show him what I was working on these days, and he had not responded was strange… he leaves a huge gap in the world, there was only one OM

When something interesting is happening, especially when it’s technology related, and especially when I’ve been stewing on it and had a hard time solidifying my own understanding, sometimes I think, “I wonder what Om’s take is.” There have only ever been a handful of voices worth turning to like that, because the kind of care Om put into his thoughts and his ability to turn his thoughts into words is rare. So sorry for this world to lose him. Condolences to his family, friends, and community.

Om, I unfortunately never met you in person but your writing always hit the spot. You’ll be missed. ♥️

My heart goes out to your family and friends.

Om’s uniquely informed perspective resulted in writing that contained equal measures of kindness and candor about two fields that often clash, news and tech. He was as warm and thoughtful in person as on the page and had given me some great career advice early on in mine. Deepest sympathies to those who knew and loved the man.

I’m heartbroken to read this! Sending my condolences to Om’s family and friends– I never got to know him in person, but always cherished our few online interactions and have long admired both his writing and photography. He’ll be long remembered and missed by so many!

I’ll remember him, not only from his writing, but also from his expression of his sensibilities through his photography. RIP

I never met Om, but greatly appreciated his profound insights on the complexities & implications of technology as well as his photographic artistry & love of fountain pens & inks. I always intended to send him a note, which I regret I never did. My condolences to his family & friends.

I was Om’s Uber driver one time and I knew who he was from following his writings in the years prior. I dropped him off in the Mission District of SF. We had a warm exchange and I recall him offering to be helpful to me at the end of the ride. This was back in ~2017. May he rest in eternal peace and may his family and loved ones be forever comforted by his many contributions.

I will miss you, Om. The world is dimmer with you gone.

Sincere condolences to family and friends. Met Om in the late 2000s when I started my company & of all of the tech writers, he was the most sincere and authentic… RIP.

I always looked up to, and admired Om. He always made me feel welcome no matter where we were. When i would come to SF to work in the True office, he was the firs to say hi and check in. He was a great person and a gentle soul. I learned a ton from him, and will always be grateful for the time we spent together. He was extremely nice and sweet to my wife and family. We love Om and wish that he rests in peace. Thank you for everything, we will always remember.

A beautifully honest and candid writer. One of the best to do it.

My sincere condolences to Om’s family and friends. I had the pleasure of meeting him in person at a GigaOm event in SF years ago, and followed him ever since.

I always loved his thoughtful demeanor and point of view on the worlds of technology and our shared passion of photography. I will miss his masterfully composed words and images and the kindness that emanated from his spirit.

Keeping this short because I know so many people are hurting now. I will keep you all in my thoughts. May his memory be a blessing.

Om was a unique treasure and left a major impact in so many places and hearts. GigaOM, True Ventures and Foursquare mayor of Sightglass Coffee were a few of his lasting endeavors. He will be missed but never forgotten. Godspeed Om.

I’m sorry to hear that. I’ve always learned so much from his posts here and on other social media. He will be missed. My condolences to his family and friends.

Condolences to Om’s family, and a shout out to my brother in technology journalism. Some of the best advice I ever got about writing came while working with Om at Gigaom: “Don’t waste the reader’s time.” Continually brilliant stuff from an inquisitive mind that never stopped asking why. RIP pal.

I’m really encapsulated a place in time in San Francisco and parties at his apartment were legendary. I learned so much reading his work and talking to him. He will be missed.

Om was one of the people who helped revive the Silicon Valley startup scene after the dot-com bust.

His blogging put the spotlight on a lot of people trying to get into tech the early days, including those of us who wrote about it.

If we had a Walk of Fame, he’d deserve a place.

I am so sorry for your loss. I’ll miss the great light Om brought into this world. What a gift he gave, that his thoughts remain available to many generations in the future who will surely need it just as we do now.

Oh no! My condolences to family and friends. Om was what I considered “one of the good guys.” From his days as a journalist and later as editor at GigaOm, he always led with heart and conviction and helped the tech industry moved in a better direction. His loss is a heavy loss not just to friends and family but also to all those who believed in technology could be a force for good for all rather than just a mere accelerator for the financial success of the few.

I’m completely shocked and saddened to hear of your passing, Om. Thanks for your constant voice over all these years.

Om was one of the best thinkers and writers in the game. I’ve always looked up to him. I always appreciated his perspective. I’ll/we’ll miss him.

A proud and enlightened follower from the early days, Brian

My thoughts are with Om’s family and friends during this difficult time. I always admired his ability to explain complex things clearly, and even more, his courage in speaking plainly and honestly. He will be deeply missed.

This is terrible news — my thoughts go out to Om’s family. I worked at Gigaom with Om and a great team of folks in the early 2010s and it was one of the best times of my life and of my career, and a large part of that was due to my friendship with Om. He will be missed.

OMG. Om was such a pioneer and visionary in silicon valley and an everlasting icon in the tech industry. I first met him more than 20 years ago when he was writing about media and tech while I was in house at RealNetworks. I am stunned and saddened to hear this news. I can say with some confidence, however, that his legacy will be long-lasting.

I’m so sad to hear this. I always appreciated reading what Om had to say about things, and really enjoyed his photography.

Om and I were longtime friends, even if we only infrequently saw each other. He was a rare combination: a deeply ethical person, an insightful analyst, a talented writer & photographer, and a successful venture investor.

On a personal level, Om was a builder of people, things, and places. He enjoyed nothing more than sharing ideas and bringing together people he thought should know each other. “Paul, you should meet …” were usually the first four words out of his mouth any time I ran into him at an event.

Om and I had many memorable dinners together, and we had emailed a few months back about getting together again before long.

I will miss him.

I’m so sorry, I’ve enjoyed his newsletters. My condolences to the family.

I was very sad to see the note of Om’s passing in my inbox just now. My condolences to his family! I have been following his insights for years and always considered them wise and entertaining. Rest in peace!

May light perpetual shine upon him.

This is devastating news.

I met Om five years ago in Antarctica while we photographed penguins and a solar eclipse and we kept in touch ever since. He introduced me to Leica cameras and challenged how I thought about photography – encouraged me to constrain myself – be it a fixed focal length or black and white and use that constraint to be more creative. He inspired me to try new things with photography.

We had planned to go and shoot photos together, but over the past year our schedules didn’t align and I’m sad now that we won’t get that opportunity. I will however think of him when I pick up my cameras. He will be greatly missed.

A huge loss. Rest in peace.

It’s hard to put into words what Om meant to me.

He wasn’t just a friend or mentor, he was family. He would introduce me as his son, and that’s exactly how he treated me. He was the first person to truly believe in me, the first to invest in me, and one of the people most responsible for the person I’ve become.

When I met him, I was just 17 or 18 years old. He was the same age then that I am today. It’s strange to realize I’m now standing where he was when he changed the course of my life.

One of my earliest memories of him was his 40th birthday party. It was at a local bar, and since I wasn’t 21, I figured I’d have to stay outside. Instead, Om made sure I was included. That was who he was, he made everyone feel like they belonged.

When I made the decision not to finish college and instead pursue a career in tech, Om never questioned it. He believed in me completely. More than that, he sat down with my parents and helped them understand that I knew what I was doing, that I was in good hands, and that he would watch over my path. Looking back now, I realize how extraordinary that was. He wasn’t just giving me advice, he was taking responsibility for me. That’s the kind of man he was.

Over the years, he became the first person I called whenever I needed advice. No matter the situation, he always seemed to know exactly what to say. He had a rare gift of seeing 20 steps ahead while explaining things with remarkable simplicity. He gave wisdom freely, never seeking credit, only wanting to help others succeed.

He was also the officiant who married my wife and me, a moment I’ll forever treasure. He wasn’t just present for the milestones in my life; he helped make them possible.

If you knew Om, you knew his love for espressos, photowalks, beautiful pens, and, of course, technology. He was endlessly curious, always learning, always teaching, always thinking about what came next.

For nearly half my life, he has been one of my constants. My sounding board. My mentor. My father figure. My rock.

Thank you, Om, for believing in me before I believed in myself. Thank you for standing beside me when others weren’t sure. Thank you for every conversation, every lesson, every opportunity, and every moment of encouragement.

I will carry your wisdom with me for the rest of my life. I hope to honor you by being for others even a fraction of what you were for me.

I am deeply grateful that I was able to spend one last Father’s Day with you and to be there in the final moments.

I love you. I’ll miss you more than words can express. Rest easy, Om.

Wow. Just wow. So sorry for his loss. May you rest in peace Om. Really especial human being. Would miss your posts, especially about photography, papers and pens. You revive my passion for geeks stuff, fountain pen, crafty paper like Paperblanks and the art of writing. My condolences to your family, friends, et al.

We are so lucky thst a person with a mind that sharp and flexible gave us years of thought and writing. This was such a shock. I want to go back and read his work sequentially. Wishes and condolences for his family.

Very sad to hear Om is not with us. I followed him for years and he gave me much to think about as well. Om was a true original and spoke truth to power. His voice will be missed dearly. Rest in peace.

My sincere condolences!

I knew Om in the heady days of early mobile, and he was one of my favourite voices in the space: intelligent, sharp, clear-eyed, but always kind.

So sorry to hear. The world has lost a great writer, analyst, and human.

I met Om in 2018 when we were just starting our company; he invited me to Pier 38, and to park in the spot titled “reserved: GigaOm”. Over the years we talked about tech, cloud storage, infrastructure, backups, and more. I had the honor of speaking at his Structure event, and the pleasure of learning from many others at those events and through his writings.

Om was insightful but gentle, and had a curiosity and desire to share knowledge without ego or bravado. He was a rare a combo and will be missed.

Very sad news. I was honored to be a friend of Om’s. I recall our first meeting in a coffee shop on Market Street in SF (maybe in 2004) where we traded stories about our histories and OM told me how much he liked baseball and the Yankees. When he was last here in Seattle, he had a new Leica, as we walked through Pioneer Square, he happily took pictures of anything that intrigued him. Om was both a true gentleman and a scholar. To quote my Jewish friends, “may his memory be a blessing” to his family and his many, many friends.

Om was one of the smartest people I’ve had the pleasure of working with. Over the years, I enjoyed our conversations on evolving technologies, our evolving city, and photography. His writing and insights over the past year have been exceptional, and I will miss his presence in our community. There is a gorgeous photo he took of a lifeguard hut that hangs in my home office, and I will treasure it all the more.

Huge loss. I’ve enjoyed his newsletters and content over the years, going back to the GigaOM days. My condolences to the family and friends.

I am heartbroken. There is no one like Om. Wildly smart, endlessly curious, and has a heart of gold. He took me under his wing when I was early in my tech comms career, and it was a gift I will cherish forever. Rest easy, Om. You are loved by so many.

As Om wrote in his 2011 letter about Steve Jobs: “I have watched him from afar. I have learned from his decisions. If you want to change something, you have to be patient and take the long view.”

Thank you for taking the long view Om. Sending lots of love to your family. 💛

I’m so sad to read this news. Om was always helpful to me when I was starting @thewrap. He urged me to start doing events, even when it was so incredibly daunting. “It’s not optional,” he said. RIP to a kind human and friend to entrepreneurs.

Oh, such sad news. Om was a wonderfully insightful curator of the tech ecosystem with an ethical compass. So rare. Many great back and forth discussions and I always learned something from each one. Om – you are missed.

Ugh, I am so sorry to hear this Om was one of the “real” ones and brought a level of truth to reporting that was rare. He was part of my earliest days of Silicon Valley and I vividly remember his blog GigaOM He was a cornerstone of the early valley and I am lucky to have called him a friend early in my journey and thru the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur I hope he meets my brother wherever they are and gets a kick out of the big hug coming his way and hopefully Keith will say “this is from Karl”

Such a loss.

It’s been too long since we last had coffee together, but I remember every encounter from SF to Delhi.

Your kindness and thoughtfulness will truly be missed.

Rest in Power, Om.

Too soon. The whole TWiT family shares your loss. Om was brilliant, deep, and talented. We will miss him so much.

A renaissance man, a brutally honest journalist, a magical writer, a cool Desi and one of the most unique human beings I had the good fortune to know – Om shanti!

Om was one of a kind. His empathy, curiosity, sense of the moment, and generosity of spirit ran deep. He had an inner light that you could just feel and that enlightened us all. Om left a profound mark on me. He invested in us day one and believed in our purpose and mission to his core. He always inspired me to stay true to it, especially in the hardest moments. I’m eternally grateful for his counsel, belief, friendship, and support over the years. I will miss him dearly.

My condolences to his family, all his friends, and the entire True team.

This is a loss. I have followed his work at least since 2008. RIP.

Om sat on the board at Academia, and was such a warm and thoughtful presence even during difficult conversations.

A small anecdote on his personality: I remember him bringing a newfangled camera to one of our board meetings, with multiple different lenses for wide shots and multiple zoom lengths. He brimmed with wonder and speculation about the device and great idea. Sure enough, a couple years later Apple started selling Pro phones with the same concept. He had a knack for seeing around the corner, didn’t he.

Just crushing news. For over 20 years now has been both a friend and a thoughtful voice of reason. It’s going to take a long time to break the habit of checking in to see what he’s thinking about anything and everything. Love to other friends and family.

I was lucky enough to work with Om as a contributor to GigaOm. He was a great reporter and writer, a wise editor and a generous spirit whose voice served as a kind of conscience for the tech world as it evolved into a more and more powerful presence in the world. He was also always right in his assessments of the industry, and we need his wry perspective more than ever now, so his passing is a double loss. But I know he will be somewhere watching what happens, with that quiet chuckle and amused glint in his eyes that was always part of him. Rest in peace, Om.

Such very sad news. From first reading his work in Business 2.0 many years ago, to his present-day musings on everything from AI to fountain pens, he always stood out with a unique perspective. He’ll be missed.

Offering my deepest condolences to OM’s family, friends and colleagues! His brilliance came through and through as a contributor to tech innovation. His contributions as a journalist, entrepreneurs and later as a venture investor are praiseworthy! And he sure was also well-known among the larger Indian American community. May his great soul rest in eternal peace.

Om’s writing and blogging were one of the reasons I went into tech journalism. Right out of college, I was working at a PR agency and started reading GigaOm. It inspired me to start blogging.

Years later, he tried to recruit me. Even after I went elsewhere, he’d send me notes telling me how proud he was of my work. He’d often review my reviews, so here’s mine of him: Generous with his time. Honest with his feedback. Endlessly encouraging to those coming up behind him. Friendly and kind even under pressure.

Thank you, Om, for showing so many of us what great, independent tech journalism could be.

Wow… Can’t take this in yet. When we started TechCrunch, Om was a constant fixture. Smart, deep, thoughtful, philosophical, soulful. Dedicated and determined also.

I have read him every day for the past few years too. Om still had those characteristics.

Please let his “family” know what we can do.

Best wishes Keith

Been reading Om for probably 15 years. Sad to loose his voice.

Om Malik was a brilliant analyst and journalist. I was lucky to meet Om early in his career and to be close to him for many years thereafter. In every conversation, Om shared insights that enhanced my understanding of the world.

We did not speak in recent years, but Om was in my thoughts, as his blog constantly challenged me to think differently. He will remain in my thoughts.

I extend my condolences to Om’s family and close friends on the passing of a truly great human being.

What sad news. His last post, The Myth, the Mythos and the Man (before he announced he needed to take a break) was such a fresh examination of current AI concerns. Reading other comments here reveal that behind the vision and clarity of thought was an immensely warm and generous man. My condolences to his family and friends. I look forward to exploring his photography.

Good bye dear friend. I’ll miss you so much.

I’m at a loss… Om. I’m so sorry this is goodbye. You were kind enough to spill ink about me in the early times of GigaOm and always had a smile for me when we bumped into each other over the years. You were different because you were also a fellow entrepreneur and not shy to admit that it was hard work. I’ve admired your photography and I know my inbox will never be the same without your thoughtful words gracing them from your many newsletters and this blog. You will be truly missed. To your family, I’m so sorry for your loss. Om’s friendship will be truly missed.

May peace accompany you on your next journey.

The world has lost a lovely, beautiful, caring light.

Even though I haven’t seen Om in a number of years, I have such fond memories of him from the early days of blogging. Back in the early 2000s, when Om was running GigaOM and I was running Technorati, Om was fierce and truthful and funny and resourceful and always, always, kind. He was deeply insightful and knew his way around the corridors of power, but he never let that power corrupt him.

His writing was personal and carried the kind of insight that was rare. We didn’t always agree, but he was always fair, and his view and perspective were always well informed and thoughtful.

Most of all, Om was so deeply caring to those around him, and it just oozed from his pores. You could tell how much he truly loved being here and being with all the people that he chose to be around.

I will miss you, my friend.

To the Malik family, may Om’s memory always be a blessing. My deepest sympathies.

It was a pleasure to work with Om at Red Herring. He was a good man, a quick thinker, and a remarkably calm presence in an insane world. May his memory be a blessing.

We never interacted directly but I always enjoyed reading what he wrote, and there are way too few like that writing today. Well done sir, on a life of passion pursued with skill!

My early friendship with Om was rooted in constantly debating the tech issue du jour. It started on the sidelines of some tech event, and continued for many years after. He almost always had more information than the rest of us, but he rarely let that on. Instead, the intellectual sparring itself was his sport. He’d rather drag it out than finish you off. Om had a wry smile that would betray his characteristic curmudgeonly character, and he never hesitated to bust balls if he saw a window. There is no chance he would concede if I ever won the skirmish, but the reality is I’m not sure I ever did beat him, even when we argued about things that my own team was building. His voice was one of the most important of the Web 2.0 era, and one would only skip his writing at their peril. If you were lucky enough to be with him in person, you might have experienced the way he would laugh with his whole torso. So real and absolutely contagious. He was never falsely polite or obsequious. A man accountable only to his own authenticity. When I moved away from SF, I rarely saw him again. My loss. He was beloved by many, but my heart goes out to those of you who I know stayed close with him especially throughout his health travails. You were good friends to Om, and what more can we ask for at the edges of life?

Loved reading Om’s writings over the years. My sincerest condolences to his family and friends.

I’m extremely saddened to hear this news. Om was as kind as he was insightful. Offering my sincerest condolences to his friends and family — his voice will certainly be missed.

Thank you OM for your guidance on photography and taking the time to be helpful to a newbie you didn’t really know. I will really miss seeing you pop up in my inbox, as I always looked forward to reading about your adventures and the new things you were excited about. Rest well sir.

Om was a great and thoughtful person. I will miss our conversations in the park talking about technology and morality. We lost a great man. Sending your family love and support.

Om was an icon in tech journalism. I didn’t know him personally so the best compliments that I can give him is that he was always interesting and wrote with great insight, depth, humility, ethics, and empathy. His contribution to the discourse will be greatly missed.

This is very sad news. He was my mentor, first met at Sepia Mutiny and then at Business 2.0. He got me an invite to twttr — didn’t have vowels yet! — and sent me encouraging notes after he left. He was always so warm, witty, and curious. My deepest condolence to his family. May his soul have a very peaceful and upward journey. 🙏🏽🙇🏾‍♀️

Om was an immigrant who narrated Silicon Valley better than almost anyone born into it. He was a proof that you didn’t have to be from here to help define what “here” meant. For those of us who came to this world as outsiders, he showed us we could be part of the story — and part of telling it.

may he rest in peace

Never met the man, but reading him I thought, “Thisis a guy to watch for… this is a guy to read.” I am saddened to hear of his passing.

Om was such a kind man, and always fun to talk to, hang out with, debate with on Twitter. The fact that so many familiar names are here is a testament to his impact.

Sweet, beautiful, gentle soul. You will be missed.

I got to know Om Malik in the context of our team building Hulu, as Om covered the space deeply between GigaOm and NewTeeVee. Over many years, Om continually shared his insight, judgment, and smarts with all of us, for which I continue to be thankful. What was unexpected to me back then was his abundant kindness, sincerity and gratitude. He shared a story with me once about a particularly difficult moment in his health, stating his deep appreciation for Hulu and how Hulu helped him get through that stretch. I was struck by the conversation then and that conversation has continued to stay with me to this day. Om was always in my mind as we thought about the customers for which we built Hulu. I will miss Om and am so thankful for his impact on me.

Om had the most insightful mind of any human being I’ve ever met. A couple of times a year we would take photography trips, and I would always drive. On trips to Jackson or Yellowstone, it would be just the two of us for 17 hours each direction. I would wind him up with questions like “tell me about fountain pens” or “tell me about UV lithography” or “tell me about your favorite Leica sensors” or “tell me about Diwali” and he would just go. Art. Photography. Philosophy. Cameras. Computers. Pens. Watches. Writing. Travel. Time. The Universe. Relationships. Investing. For significant chunks of time in my life, I would have Om all to myself.

And I would just devour it. And savor it. And be a better person for it. As his condition worsened over the past couple of years, I would come to SF and we would take little day trips to Point Reyes (stopping for MULTIPLE) coffees en route and on return.

Om provided for me a very unique dose of intellectual nourishment. It’s going to take me a long time – possibly the remainder of my own life – to try to understand what was so essentially “Omie” about him. It was an unpredictable brilliance that conceptually I didn’t even know could exist. And somehow, it existed in this dear friend.

How how lucky I am to have known him.

Om’s writing was a constant companion in my journey through tech, honest, curious, and beautifully human. He was an engaging guide who knew how to influence before that was even a thing. His work on broadband and the telecom era spoke directly to the world I was living in.

I never met him in person, but his voice online felt like a trusted friend who always helped me think more clearly about the world we were building. He made the internet feel like it mattered.

Rest easy, Om. You were one of the good ones.

As a tech-obsessed college student, Om’s blog was one of my earliest reads. His journey as a journalist, entrepreneur, and VC was inspiring to watch. We only met a handful of times, but I remember him as being warm and kind and deeply thoughtful.

Reading these comments and seeing so many names from the heyday of Web 2.0 and that special mid-2000s era of blogging is incredibly special. Leave it to Om to bring so many voices together to pay tribute.

My thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family.

The only few newsletters I’d put aside time to read. Always insightful and thought provoking. An astute independent thinker rich in his craft who often brings to his readers new perspectives, that on hindsight, are proven right. You’ll be missed. RIP.

It was the mid-90s and I met Om in NYC at a SAJA event. He was one of the few people there that knew about the Internet and so we bonded. Over the years we were in each other journalistic orbit and so when I had a start-up idea he was one of the first people I sought out for advice. Over the years I pitched many of my far out and weird concepts to him, and even though he was much in demand he always made time to take a phone call or acknowledge and introduction. I’m saddened by this news. First because we lost a light in this world and secondly because we hadn’t spoken in many years; time lost never to be regained. RIP OM.

Thank you for your friendship, Omji. I will never forget your kindness and presence when I needed it the most. You will always be remembered, cherished and loved by the Gill family. You are with your friend now. Till we meet again.

Really sad to hear this news. I only met him once at the first Structure conference back in 2008. Read every one of his piece over the years. My condolences to his family and friends.

Your legend for live in forever! Thank you for inspiring me and generations of dreamers and builders! Your voice meant a lot!

Sending warm wishes and prayers to family and friend!

Om Shanti!

To the Malik family, I am so sorry for this incredibly profound loss. Om was a part of the Valley and a maverick. Om was always kind when pitched by us PR people and he was a gifted writer. The last column I read of his was not about tech, but him describing in vivid detail his beloved fountain pens and the colors. I hosted a lunch for a client with Om was back in the Aughts and he was as gracious and warm in person as he was on the phone. May he rest in eternal peace.

This news is very sad. I met Om twenty years ago and we became instant friends. He was such a smart guy and so funny and kind. I am glad I got the chance to tell him how great his photography is, a well as all praise all his other brilliant accomplishments. I’m going to miss him.

Some 20 years ago I was fortunate to get to know Om while working out of the True Ventures office at Pier 38, with GigaOm set up next door. He was so kind and giving of his time and wisdom, and over the years I’d run into him here and there, and I cherished the opportunities to chat no matter how briefly (he was a busy guy!). His enthusiasm and its balancing thoughtfulness will be sorely missed. RIP Om.

An absolute loss to everyone who knew him or followed his work. Om wasn’t just a brilliant observer of technology; his was a truly gentle soul. May he rest in peace.

Om was a true Silicon Valley original the tech world is quieter without his voice.

I first came to know Om’s work while working at MCI Telecommunications in the heart of the dot-com boom. Red Herring was required reading in our Silicon Valley offices, and Om stood out as one of the most credible and nuanced voices covering telecom and high technology. He didn’t just report the hype, he brought clarity and context when both were in short supply.

Years later, I found myself on the other side of the table. I was at Opera Software, trying to bring a scrappy Norwegian browser to market with American mobile operators in the pre-iPhone era.

We had a meeting scheduled with Om, and I’ll admit I was more than a little nervous. Here was a genuine Silicon Valley “celebrity” journalist who could help or hurt our small effort. Om greeted us warmly, listened to our demo and our grand talk of “changing the world,” offered a wry smile, and wished us luck. He didn’t run a piece in Red Herring or Business 2.0, but he did something better: he wrote a genuinely supportive post on his then-newish blog that helped give us real visibility. That post still lives at om.co, a small but meaningful kindness I’ve never forgotten.

We stayed loosely in touch over the years—Facebook birthdays, the occasional comment, the easy familiarity that social media sometimes allows. In 2008, when I was helping launch a mobile money company (this was well before Cash App or widespread cross-border fintech), I left Om a message about what we were trying to build. He called me back the very next morning —upbeat, cheerful, genuinely curious. He listened, asked great questions and then wrote a marvelous article that gave us the kind of thoughtful coverage startups dream of.

Om was the real deal. He walked his talk. He could be sharply critical when the story called for it, he never pulled punches on hype or excess, but he was also generous with his time and attention when he believed in what you were doing.

He remained authentic through every chapter of his career: journalist at Red Herring and Business 2.0, founder of GigaOM, and later venture partner at True Ventures. He understood both the romance and the reality of this industry.

I’m saddened by his passing and will miss his voice, both the public one that shaped so much of our understanding of tech and the private one that was kind enough to take a call from an old contact chasing the next idea.

Rest well, Om. Thank you for the coverage, the conversations, and the example. You made Silicon Valley a little sharper, and for those of us lucky enough to cross paths with you, a little kinder too. RIP

A beautiful writer, artist, thinker, and human being who showed us what a life well lived looks like. You will be missed.

Om was a inspiration and thought-provoking sage who offered tremendous insights that made many of us question and/or understand the present and future better. He will be missed. RIP.

I’ve only known Om through photography. He’s part of an informal group of like-minded photographers who call ourselves, “The Landscape Mafia.” Om’s minimalist approach to the craft was wonderful. Our little group is the poorer without him.

RIP, brother Om. Rand

We’ve lost one of the best people in the tech / journalism worlds. A brilliant thinker and writer, and a fine man.

Rest in peace.

Longtime friend, most generous kind person in Silicon Valley. Much love to you brother. It’s that time of life.

It’s hard to put into words what Om meant to so many of us. I realized today that it had been 11 years since we last spoke or exchanged a text, but that doesn’t diminish the impact he had on my life. There was a period back in our San Francisco days when we’d meet regularly at Harrington’s, not to talk about work, but about everything outside of it – politics, Silicon Valley gossip, photography, the state of the world… absolutely nothing was off limits.

After 9/11, Om was one of the first people to check on me because he knew I’d been in New York and wasn’t sure whether I’d made it back before the attacks. I still remember the whiskey he bought me as we quietly raised a glass to the friends I’d lost. I remember his frustration and heartbreak when Red Herring folded. I was there when he talked about launching GigaOm during one of Tom Foremski’s “Hacks and Flacks” gatherings on the rooftop of the de Young. Even then, you could tell he was already thinking several moves ahead.

One memory always makes me smile. A group of us somehow ended up at the Bubble Lounge one Friday night, Alison Overholt was about to move back to the East Coast, Rafat Ali was hanging with Om, and the conversation turned to Om finally becoming a U.S. citizen. We jokingly challenged him to get it done by a certain date. I promised him a very expensive bottle of Bollinger if he did it. He met the deadline. I paid up.

That was Om. Determined, brilliant, endlessly curious, and armed with a wit that could leave you reeling. He also had an uncanny ability to see where technology, and often the world, was headed long before the rest of us caught on. His passing leaves a gaping hole that will be felt by so many whose paths he crossed. RIP my friend.

Sad to hear about this. Om hired me to design GigaOm website many years ago. Actually mentioned this fact in one of his blog posts about GigaOm years later, which I was too shy to reply to. I was actually surprised he still remembered me at all. He was a kind and lovely man. Probably the best client I ever had. RIP, Om.

I’m taken back to a car ride down El Camino with Om. I can’t recall the startup I was working on or if he was still at Gigaom or already made it to True Ventures by then. We were adversaries but he wasn’t adversarial. He took a genuine interest in me and flashed that gap-toothed smile at something or other and immediately made me feel at ease.

One of the rare people who never looked through you to their goal or their destination but rather met you where you were with kindness and curiosity.

You will be missed Om. Your memory is a blessing to us all.

One of the best things about Silicon Valley was Om, and I am shocked to learn of his passing.

My condolences to his loved ones, both family and friends.

Condolences. I learned so much from reading and interacting with Om over the years, and his photography was always a source of calm and perspective.

I’ve read Om’s work for as long as I can remember. This is such a shock and feels unbearable. I’ll miss him every day.

I am sorry. He was so knowledgeable and so kind.

What terrible, devastating news. I’ll live my life regretful that I never got to meet Om in person, but I’ll always cherish our conversations. I always enjoyed his writing, and was thrilled when he messaged me out of the blue one day – he had discovered my work and commissioned me to make him a few fountain pens for his collection. He always had such effusive praise for them – that he would hold them in such high regard in his collection meant the world to me. More often than not our conversations veered into the technology and photography, as we were kindred spirits in all those subjects. I’ll miss you Om – I hope that wherever you are, you’ve got the perfect pen and lens to capture your experience.

Om’s writing always had a quiet generosity to it; making a photo or a half-formed thought feel like part of something bigger. The blogging world feels smaller without “On my Om.” Sending warmth to his family and everyone who knew him.

Om came into my life unexpectedly two winters ago, after I spent three days photographing with him in Yellowstone by invitation from the Landscape Mafia. What began as a shared appreciation for images and landscapes grew into a friendship that profoundly changed me.

He was kind, wise, thoughtful, and deeply intelligent, with a way of being lovingly blunt that always felt rooted in care. I will miss his messages asking for new photos of the Beartooth Mountains and my dogs—small threads of connection that meant a great deal.

After we met, I made him a handmade journal, something I reserve for only a few special people. While he was in the hospital, he asked for a smaller one, which I sent to him three weeks ago. He was deeply grateful.

What touched me most is that someone who had access to the finest things in life chose something simple and handmade with love from me. That choice will stay with me always.

He also converted me to using fountain pens after he gifted one to me. He warned me not to go crazy and enjoy one pen at a time. A theory he didn’t seem to follow!

I’ve only read Om’s work for the past few years, and it always feels like calm water that soothes, nurtures, and empowers you in this torrent of emerging technologies. The humanity inside Om’s work is sui generis, and I always cherish what he has brought to the community. May he rest in peace, and I’ll hold on to what I’ve learned from him and try my best to give back to society.