Fundraising Fox

Clément Delangue

Founder

Co-founder & CEO at Hugging Face

New York, NY

FoundedHugging Face

About

Clément Delangue turned a teen-focused chatbot app into Hugging Face, the 'GitHub of AI' where the industry shares its models and datasets — valued at $4.5 billion in its 2023 round led by Salesforce with Google and Nvidia, and reported in August 2026 to be exploring a sale at $13 billion or more. From La Bassée in northern France, he was one of France's top eBay sellers at 17, studied management at ESCP with exchanges in Madrid, Bangalore, and Dublin, and cut his teeth at machine-learning startup Moodstocks (later acquired by Google) and social-monitoring startup mention. He co-founded Hugging Face in New York in 2016 with Julien Chaumond and Thomas Wolf — the three met through a Stanford online-course study group — and pivoted it to open machine learning after BERT's 2018 release. He has testified to Congress as open-source AI's leading advocate.

Beyond investing

Founded
Co-founded Hugging Face in New York in 2016 with Julien Chaumond and Thomas Wolf; it began as a chatbot for teenagers and pivoted to the home of open-source ML in 2019. Co-founded UniShared and VideoNot.es, a collaborative video note-taking tool born at a Google hackathon in March 2013.
Communities
Testified before the US House Science Committee on open AI in June 2023; argues open models beat closed APIs.
Awards
Named to TIME's inaugural TIME100 AI list (Leaders category) in September 2023.
Family
From La Bassée, a small town in northern France.
More
Was one of France's top eBay sellers at age 17, before university. Worked in product at Moodstocks, the Paris computer-vision startup Google later acquired, and as CMO of media-monitoring startup mention. The three Hugging Face co-founders met through a Stanford online-course study group.

From Clément's own website — common ground for a warm intro.

Co-founder & CEO at Hugging Face

Intro paths

→

In turn, Clément can intro founders to Hugging Face's investors below.

Hugging Face's investors · 23

A.Capital VenturesSan FranciscoAIX VenturesSan Francisco · $1M – $5M checksBetaworksNew York · $250K – $750K checks · since 2019Coatue ManagementNew York · $1M – $20M checksConnetic VenturesCovington · $250K – $500K checksFelicis VenturesSan Francisco · $500K – $15M checksFirestreak VenturesGMG VenturesLondon · $650K – $1.3M checksIntel CapitalSanta Clara · $1M – $20M checksJuniper Ventures Management, LlcSan FranciscoLux CapitalNew York · $100K – $100M checks · since 2019Mercuri.vcLondon · $650K – $1.3M checksMozilla VenturesNight CapitalCapitolaNVIDIASanta ClaraPremji InvestMenlo ParkQualcomm VenturesSan Diego · $5M checksSalesforce VenturesSan Francisco · $5M – $50M checksSequoia CapitalMenlo Park · $4.4M – $214M checksSound VenturesSanta MonicaSpice CapitalNew York · $100K – $250K checksSTATION FParisSV AngelSan Francisco

Co-founders at Hugging Face

JCJulien Chaumond
Julien ChaumondExecutive Officer, Director
CD
Clement DelangeExecutive Officer, Director
TWThomas Wolf
Thomas WolfCo-founder & CSO

Experience

  1. Hugging FaceCo-founder & CEOcurrent2016 — presentGreater New York City Area
  2. mentionProduct & CMO (acquired by Mynewsdesk)2013 — 2014Greater New York City Area
  3. MoodstocksProduct (acquired by Google)2011 — 2012Paris / Dublin
  4. VideoNot.esCo-Founder & CEO2010 — 2011Palo Alto
  5. eBay FR/UKInnovation2010

Education

  1. Stanford UniversityNon-degree program, Introduction to computer science | Programming methodology2011 — 2012
  2. ESCPMaster in management, Management2008 — 2012
  3. Indian Institute of Management BangalorePGP, Management2010 — 2011
  4. University College Dublin2011 — 2012
  5. Universidad Carlos III de MadridMaster, Administracion y Direccion de empresas (ADE)2009 — 2010
  6. Saint Jean Douai2006 — 2008

Skills & more

Entrepreneurship83Start-ups65Product Management28Innovation Management19Social Entrepreneurship14Technological Innovation7Business Development26E-commerce10Mobile Devices9Consulting6Digital Marketing20Marketing1
+8 moreBloggingMobile ApplicationsBusiness StrategySocial NetworkingStart-upMarketing StrategyStrategyManagement

Languages English · French · Spanish

From Clément's professional profile.

Podcasts & interviews

featuring Clément Delangue

Clément Delangue on Face the Nation

CBS News · cbsnews.com

Clem Delangue on Open Source AI and the LLM Bubble

a16z Podcast · a16z.com

Building the Open Source AI Revolution

ACQ2 (Acquired) · acquired.fm

Frequently asked questions

Where does Clément Delangue work?
Clément Delangue is Co-founder & CEO at Hugging Face.
What companies did Clément Delangue found?
Clément Delangue founded Hugging Face.

Paths to reach Clément

People who overlapped with Clément at the same organization — a shared school or employer with one of them is a warm way in.

Together at Hugging FaceClément: Co-founder & CEO

Thomas Wolf2016–2026Co-founder & Chief Science Officer of Hugging FaceCenter for International Intellectual Property Studies - CEIPI · École des Ponts Business School · École PolytechniquePat Grady2022–2026Partner at Sequoia CapitalThe London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)Erica Van2023–2026Investment Director at Intel CapitalColumbia University · Rhode Island School of Design · The Wharton SchoolPaulina Szyzdek2022–2026Principal at E12 Venture Capital, LlcHult International Business School · Krakow University of Economics · Sotheby's Institute of ArtBrian Benedict2021–2023Co-Founder & CRO at Asymmetric Capital PartnersMerrimack CollegeSasha Luccioni2021–2026Investor at Blue Tulip VenturesEcole normale supérieure · Ewha Womans University 이화여자대학교 · Université de Montréal

Together at eBay FR/UKClément: Innovation

Clare Gilmartin2010Advisor at Active PartnersUniversity College DublinDennis Goedegebuure2010Entrepreneur in Residence at PeakUniversity of AmsterdamGreg Fant2010Brand & Marketing at Roble VenturesUCLA · University of California, BerkeleyShripriya Mahesh2010General Partner at Spero VenturesNew York University - Tisch School of the Arts · Stella Maris CollegeLarry Illg2010Advisor at Delin VenturesUniversity of California, Berkeley · University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of BusinessRichelle Parham2010Obvious Champion at Obvious VenturesDrexel University's LeBow College of Business · The Bryn Mawr School

Together at Stanford UniversityClément: Non-degree program

Ann Miura-Ko2011–2012Co-founding Partner at FloodgatePalo Alto High SchoolBalaji Srinivasan2011–2012Angel investor and founder of The Network SchoolMartin Casado2011–2012General Partner at Andreessen HorowitzNorthern Arizona UniversityAndy Fang2011–2012Co-founder & CTO of DoorDashRyan Shea2011–2012Co-founder of Blockstack (Stacks)Princeton University · Secaucus High School · Y CombinatorIlya Sutskever2012Co-founder of OpenAI; co-founder & CEO of Safe SuperintelligenceThe Open University of Israel · University of Toronto

Founder mafias

Stanford University mafia894

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Reid HoffmanB.S.Founded Manas AI +1Joe LonsdaleBSFounded Opto +3Mike Maples JrBSFounded Pattern BreakersSteve JurvetsonBSEEFounded Mojo VisionBalaji SrinivasanLecturer, Departments of Statistics and Computer ScienceFounded Counsyl +1Jess LeeBSFounded Polyvore

+ 887 more

ESCP mafia35

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Christophe JurczakExecutive ProgrammeFounded PasqalMarie-Alix MotteMSc in Sustainability Entrepreneurship & InnovationFounded ProteindistilleryChristoph GrasMaster's degreeFounded TomorrowRobert StoeckerBachelor of Science (B.Sc.)Founded FortoChiara BagainiMaster's degreeFounded RepathAnaheta v. Berenberg-ConsbruchMScFounded Global Fashion Group

+ 28 more

University College Dublin mafia14

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Felix HemmerlingBachelor of CommerceFounded habiata +1Miranda GuerreroFounded Industrial NextClare GilmartinIntl CommerceFounded TrainlineDaryl LimBachelor of Business Studies - BBSFounded MetaPalsPatrick MurphyBE (Hons)Founded TapestryAndrew BurtonMasters Info. Sys.Founded Commercetools

+ 7 more

Indian Institute of Management Bangalore mafia13

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Kamesh RaghavendraMBAFounded Geminus +1Ranvir SinghMBAFounded Kissht +1Nishit GargPGDMFounded FlipkartRajiv SrivatsaMBAFounded UrbanladderBrij BhushanPGPFounded MagicpinShubhendu SharmaFounded Wifi Dabba, Inc.

+ 6 more

Universidad Carlos III de Madrid mafia10

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Anselm BauerBusiness AdministrationFounded Stylight +1Katon LuacesExchangeFounded Pointone +1Rodolphe BarrereFounded PotlocHugo Eliki-RomanMaestría en Administración y Dirección de EmpresasFounded EffyDaniel BaumBachelor of Commerce - BComFounded SleekJavier PalafoxBachelor of Laws (LLB)Founded HappyRobot

+ 3 more

Same school

Also attended Stanford University2,000

Peter ThielCo-founder & Partner at Founders FundReid HoffmanCo-founder of LinkedIn; Partner at GreylockDavid SacksCo-founder & General Partner at Craft Ventures; former White House AI & Crypto CzarKeith RaboisManaging Director at Khosla VenturesGarry TanPresident & CEO of Y CombinatorAlfred LinPartner at Sequoia Capital

+ 1,994 more

Also attended ESCP302

Ragnar JongenInvestor at DN CapitalCristian PintoInvestor at DaphniSamir MatkiInvestor at DaphniBriac BombrunInvestment Associate at Burda Principal InvestmentsMarjolaine CatilPrincipal at Newfund CapitalJulie RoblotInvestor at Newfund Capital

+ 296 more

Also attended Indian Institute of Management Bangalore74

Megha PrakashVenture Partner at Episode1Ashu GargInvestor at Foundation CapitalVinay SinghCo-Founder & Partner at Fireside Ventures Advisory LlpRahul MehtaCo-founder at DST GlobalNishit GargPartner, Asia at RTP GlobalSangeeta BAVIHead of Startups and Growth, Anthropic India at Seafund

+ 68 more

Also attended Universidad Carlos III de Madrid66

Javier BorreroSenior Director at Inveready Technology Investment GroupTomek LepkaInvestment Manager at Keen Venture PartnersStefan SandovalPrincipal at SKY VCNikki SchwenkAnalyst at Volition CapitalJorge CampoInvestor at KfundEavan MurrayAnalyst at PeakSpan Capital Partners

+ 60 more

Shared employers

Also worked at Hugging Face13

Pat GradyPartner at Sequoia CapitalThomas WolfCo-founder & Chief Science Officer of Hugging FaceErica VanInvestment Director at Intel CapitalPaulina SzyzdekPrincipal at E12 Venture Capital, LlcBrian BenedictCo-Founder & CRO at Asymmetric Capital PartnersSasha LuccioniInvestor at Blue Tulip Ventures

+ 7 more

Also worked at eBay FR/UK154

Josh KopelmanFounder and Partner at First Round CapitalLogan GreenCo-founder of LyftKen HoweryCo-founder of PayPal and Founders FundHannah SealInvestor at Index VenturesMike FridgenVenture Partner at Madrona Venture GroupRajan MehraPartner at March Capital Partners

+ 148 more