About
Ali Ghodsi co-founded Databricks in 2013 with six fellow Berkeley researchers and, as CEO since 2016, built it into one of the most valuable private companies in history — $5 billion raised at a $190 billion valuation in August 2026, on a revenue run-rate above $7 billion growing 80% a year. Born in Iran in 1978 and raised in Sweden after his family fled the Iran–Iraq war, he taught himself to program on a broken Commodore 64, took a KTH doctorate in distributed computing, co-founded the Stockholm P2P company Peerialism, and joined Berkeley's AMPLab, where Apache Spark and Mesos were born. He remains an adjunct professor there — and calls parts of the AI funding market a bubble.
Beyond investing
- Founded
- Co-founded Databricks in 2013 with Ion Stoica, Matei Zaharia, Patrick Wendell, Reynold Xin, Andy Konwinski, and Arsalan Tavakoli-Shiraji — seven academics who had never run a company; he became CEO in January 2016. Co-founded Peerialism, a Stockholm peer-to-peer data-transfer company, before moving to Berkeley. Ghodsi co-founded Peerialism AB, a Stockholm-based company developing a peer-to-peer data transfer system. Ghodsi co-founded Databricks in 2013, a company that commercializes Apache Spark.
- Education
- Co-authored foundational work on Apache Mesos and Spark SQL and co-invented Dominant Resource Fairness at Berkeley's AMPLab, where he is still an adjunct professor. Studied at KTH Royal Institute of Technology (PhD, Computer Science, 2006) Studied at Mid-Sweden University (MBA, Logistics and Marketing, 2003) Studied at Mid-Sweden University (MSc, Computer Engineering, 2002)
- Family
- Born in Iran in 1978; his family fled to Sweden during the Iran–Iraq war, and he holds both Swedish and American citizenship.
- More
- Taught himself to program on a broken Commodore 64 after arriving in Sweden. Publicly calls parts of the AI funding market a bubble — companies with billions raised and zero revenue are 'clearly a bubble… it's, like, insane.' Ghodsi helped start the Apache Mesos and Apache Spark projects and co-invented the concept of Dominant Resource Fairness. Ghodsi holds American and Swedish citizenship and is of Iranian-Swedish-American background.
Mentioned above: the KTH Royal Institute of Technology mafia →
From Ali's own website — common ground for a warm intro.
Co-founder & CEO at Databricks
Intro paths
→
In turn, Ali can intro founders to Databricks's investors below.
Databricks's investors · 77
137 VenturesSan FranciscoA.Capital VenturesSan FranciscoAglae VenturesParis · $108K – $5.4M checksAlkeon CapitalNew York · since 2021Alkeon InnovationNew YorkAltra VentureNew York City · $500K – $25M checksAmplify PartnersMenlo Park · $500K – $5M checksAndreessen HorowitzMenlo Park · $500K – $50M checks · since 2025Aspire11$10M – $50M checksAvenir Growth CapitalNew YorkBattery VenturesBoston · $500K – $100M checksBerkeley FrontierBerkeleyBlackRockNew York · since 2025Blackstonesince 2025CapitalGSan Francisco · $50M – $100M checks · since 2021Coatue ManagementNew York · $1M – $20M checks · since 2021Cross Creek AdvisorsSalt Lake CityCyber Mentor FundNew YorkDCVC (Data Collective)Palo Alto · $5M – $25M checksDiscovery CapitalSouth Norwalk · since 2021DST GlobalGeorge Town, Grand Cayman · $100K – $200M checks · since 2023Eastlink Capital PartnersMenlo Park · $100K – $5M checksEMERGENT VENTURESSilicon ValleyFelicis VenturesSan Francisco · $500K – $15M checksFidelity InvestmentsBoston · since 2025Firestreak VenturesFirst Rays Venture PartnersSan FranciscoFlucas VenturesJupiter · $100K – $5M checksFounders Circle CapitalSan FranciscoFPVJackson · $100K – $5M checksFranklin TempletonSan Mateo · since 2021Galdana VenturesBarcelonaGeodesic CapitalFoster City · since 2017GICSingapore · since 2025Glade Brook Capital PartnersGreenwichGreen Bay VenturesMenlo Park · since 2019HOF CapitalNew York · $25K – $15M checksICONIQSan FranciscoICONIQ GrowthSan Francisco · since 2023Insight PartnersNew York · $120M – $350M checks · since 2025Interplay Ventures Early Stage Management LlcNew York · $1M checksJ.P. Morgan Asset Managementsince 2025JuniperoMiamiKleiner PerkinsMenlo Park · $500K – $15M checksLoup VenturesMinneapolisLux CapitalNew York · $100K – $100M checksManhattan WestLos AngelesMaverick VenturesSan Francisco · $3M – $10M checksMGXAbu Dhabi · since 2025Morgan StanleyPurchase · since 2021MyAsiaVCSeattleNew Enterprise Associates (NEA)Menlo Park · $200K – $40M checks · since 2019NewView CapitalBurlingameNight CapitalCapitolaNVIDIASanta Clara · since 2022Ossian CapitalPlayground GlobalPalo Alto · $1M – $20M checksRace CapitalPalo Alto · $250K – $2M checksRapid ScaleLas VegasRiverbend CapitalWashingtonRogue Insight CapitalMarkhamS32Palo AltoSalesforce VenturesSan Francisco · $5M – $50M checks · since 2021Sands Capital VenturesArlington · $10M – $30M checks · since 2024SAV (Scale Asia Ventures)Palo AltoSection 32Palo AltoSINEWAVE VENTURESMclean · $500K – $25M checksSoftBank Vision FundLondonSoma CapitalSacramento · $100K – $300K checksStack CapitalTorontoStripesNew YorkSV AngelSan FranciscoT. Rowe PriceBaltimore · since 2025TemasekSingapore · since 2025Thrive CapitalNew York · $500K – $25M checks · since 2025Tiger Global ManagementNew York · $1M – $100M checks · since 2021WealthUnion$10K checks
Co-founders at Databricks
IS
Ion StoicaExecutive Officer, Director, Promoter
MZ
Matei ZahariaExecutive Officer, Director, Promoter
RX
Reynold XinFounder
PW
Patrick WendellFounder
AK
Andy KonwinskiFounder
Experience
- DatabricksCEO and Co-foundercurrent2016 — presentSan Francisco Bay Area
- DatabricksVP of Engineering & Product Management, Co-founder2013 — 2015
- UC BerkeleyAdjunct Professorcurrent2015 — presentBerkeley, CA
- UC BerkeleyVisiting Scholar2009 — 2015Berkeley, CA
- Royal Institute of TechnologyAssistant Professor2008 — 2013
- Royal Institute of TechnologyAssociate Professor (Swedish Docent and Lektor)2013Stockholm, Sweden
- Peerialism ABCo-founder and adviser2006 — 2011Greater Stockholm Metropolitan Area
- Swedish Institute of Computer ScienceSenior Researcher2007 — 2009
Education
- KTH Royal Institute of TechnologyPhD, Computer Science2002 — 2006
- Mid Sweden UniversityM.B.A, Logistics and Strategic Marketing1997 — 2002
- Mid Sweden UniversityMSc, Computer Engineering1997 — 2002
- University of California, BerkeleyPost-doc, Computer Science
Skills & more
Distributed Systems77Algorithms61Big Data37Product Management9Machine Learning13Computer Science61Software Engineering30Hadoop29Java29Research22C++20Cloud Computing23
From Ali's professional profile.
Podcasts & interviews
featuring Ali GhodsiFrequently asked questions
- Where does Ali Ghodsi work?
- Ali Ghodsi is Co-founder & CEO at Databricks.
- What companies did Ali Ghodsi found?
- Ali Ghodsi founded Databricks.
Paths to reach Ali
People who overlapped with Ali at the same organization — a shared school or employer with one of them is a warm way in.
Together at DatabricksAli: Co-founder & CEO
Andy Konwinski2013–2026Founder and General Partner at Laude VenturesUniversity of California, Berkeley · University of Wisconsin-Fox Valley · University of Wisconsin-MadisonPete Sonsini2014–2026Founder and General Partner at Laude VenturesNorthwestern University - Kellogg School of Management · University of California, BerkeleyMatei Zaharia2013–2026Executive Officer, Director, Promoter at DatabricksUniversity of California, BerkeleyPatrick Wendell2013–2026Founder at DatabricksPrinceton University · San Francisco University High SchoolArsalan Tavakoli2014–2026Investor at Foundation CapitalUniversity of California, Berkeley · University of VirginiaEryk Dobrushkin2021–2025Investor at Index VenturesHarvard University
Together at UC BerkeleyAli: Adjunct Professor
Raquel Urtasun2009Founder & CEO of WaabiMatt2011–2013Software Engineer at Clear VenturesNapa Valley College · University of California, BerkeleyAngela Toy2016Partner & COO at Golden Gate VenturesNanyang Technological University Singapore · University of California, BerkeleyAtli Thorkelsson2010–2014VP of Network at Redpoint VenturesUniversity of California, BerkeleyBrenden Glapion2014–2016Corporate Counsel at GreycroftCosumnes River College · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Berkeley - School of LawArsalan Tavakoli2009Investor at Foundation CapitalUniversity of California, Berkeley · University of Virginia
Together at Royal Institute of TechnologyAli: Associate Professor (Swedish Docent and Lektor)
William Jilltoft2011–2013Director of Strategy and Operations at NorthzoneKTH Royal Institute of TechnologyGiuseppe Lacerenza2012Partner at Keen Venture PartnersDelft University of Technology · INSEAD · KTH Royal Institute of TechnologyFredrik Bergenlid2006–2010Partner at Fly VenturesKTH Royal Institute of TechnologyPedro Gomes2010–2013Director, Intelligence & Transformation at Bright Pixel Capital
Founder mafias
University of California, Berkeley mafia534
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Steve WozniakBSFounded AppleTony XuB.S.Founded DoorDashAravind SrinivasDoctor of Philosophy - PhDFounded PerplexityRyan PetersenBAFounded FlexportDavid FriedbergBAFounded Climate +2Andrew NgDoctor of Philosophy - PhDFounded Factored +2
+ 527 more
KTH Royal Institute of Technology mafia40
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Magnus HambletonMaster of ScienceFounded Founders Pledge +2Per NordlingMaster's degreeFounded Younium +1Linus MalménDegree Progr. in Mechanical EngineeringFounded Zaver +1Rajiv DatarFounded Chromatan, Inc.Eric Quidenus-WahlforssMAFounded SoundCloudKristian JacobssonMaster's degreeFounded FinanZero
+ 33 more
Mid Sweden University mafia2
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Same school
Also attended KTH Royal Institute of Technology130
William JilltoftDirector of Strategy and Operations at NorthzoneJohanna OlnénData Analyst at NorthzoneRobin WänlundAssociate at Notion CapitalMagnus BergmanInvestor at Luminar VenturesGiuseppe LacerenzaPartner at Keen Venture PartnersRajiv DatarEntrepreneur-In-Residence at The Innovation Space
+ 124 more
Also attended Mid Sweden University5
Also attended University of California, Berkeley1,353
Byron DeeterPartner at Bessemer Venture PartnersSteve WozniakCo-founder of AppleTony XuCo-founder & CEO of DoorDashAravind SrinivasCo-founder & CEO of Perplexity AIRyan PetersenFounder & CEO of FlexportTrevor OelschigInvestment Team at General Catalyst
.jpeg)
+ 1,347 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Databricks83
Sangeen ZebInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)Arsalan TavakoliInvestor at Foundation CapitalAshu GargInvestor at Foundation CapitalEryk DobrushkinInvestor at Index VenturesJules GsellInvestor at IVP (Institutional Venture Partners)Derek ZanuttoInvestor at CapitalG
+ 77 more
Also worked at UC Berkeley291
Raquel UrtasunFounder & CEO of WaabiPaul JennyBoard Chair at CincyTechAndrea van ElsasInvestor at Third Rock VenturesMichael PerezDeputy General Counsel at Mucker CapitalFreada Kapor KleinFounding Partner at Kapor CapitalUlili OnovakpuriManaging Partner at Kapor Capital
+ 285 more
Also worked at Royal Institute of Technology24
Magnus BergmanInvestor at Luminar VenturesPedro GomesDirector, Intelligence & Transformation at Bright Pixel CapitalAnna HauptInvestor at IndustrifondenSara JawadInvestor at IndustrifondenFilip ElamBoard Member at EastateJaroslav BelotserkovskyInvestment Manager at Novalis Biotech
+ 18 more