Tech titan John Backus lists Miami Beach modern home for $15.9M
This Miami Beach glass house is too beautiful for stones.
Tech titan John Backus — co-founder of Cognito, an ID verification and KYC (“know your customer”) provider for fintech bought by Plaid for $252 million — has hit the market for $15.9 million.
The five-bedroom, 6½-bathroom two-story home is at 7960 Biscayne Point Circle — and it comes with its own private dock.
This waterfront mansion captures indoor/outdoor living. Daniel Petroni / The Chad Carroll Group
The modern dwelling is filled with light. Daniel Petroni / The Chad Carroll Group
Palm trees and an infinity pool add to the home’s wow factor. Daniel Petroni / The Chad Carroll Group
A breakfast bar with a view of the sea. Daniel Petroni / The Chad Carroll Group
Backus bought the glass abode for $13 million in 2022, according to public records — the same year that Plaid bought Cognito in a cash-and-stock deal.
At the time, Backus said that less restrictive pandemic rules and a more welcoming business climate enticed him to move from San Francisco to Miami, according to reports.
The seller was former nightclub owner Francis Milon, who paid $2.1 million for the tear-down property, and then built his dream house on just under one-third of an acre.
Working in style from the home office. Daniel Petroni / The Chad Carroll Group
Inside there are double-height ceilings and plenty of open space. Daniel Petroni / The Chad Carroll Group
Completed in 2019, the 6,408-square-foot home boasts high ceilings and double-height glass walls to showcase Biscayne Bay views. Design details also include marble and wood floors.
Inside, there’s a chef’s kitchen with a breakfast bar that overlooks the water, a gym, spacious open living areas, bedrooms with spa-like ensuite bathrooms and a “floating” home office under a glass ceiling skylight.
The outdoor area features an infinity pool and a covered car park for four vehicles.
The listing broker is Chad Carroll of Compass.