Mark Wade
Unicorn founderFounder & CEO at Ayar Labs · Director at Great Sky
San Francisco Bay Area
FoundedAyar Labs$3.8B
About
Mark Wade is president, CEO, and a co-founder of Ayar Labs, a company developing optical communications technology for the data center industry. Before founding the company, he led the team that designed the optics in the first processor to communicate using light, having developed the underlying technology with his co-founders at MIT and UC Berkeley between 2010 and 2015. He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder, a master's degree in Electrical Engineering from the same institution, and bachelor's degrees in Physics and Electrical Engineering from Louisiana Tech University; he was a 2011 NSF Fellow and, with his co-founders, won the MIT Clean Energy Prize in May 2015.
Director at Great Sky
Intro paths
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Great Sky's investors · 6
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Co-founders at Great Sky
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Jeffrey ShainlineExecutive Officer, Director
Founder & CEO at Ayar Labs
Intro paths
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In turn, Mark can intro founders to Ayar Labs's investors below.
Ayar Labs's investors · 25
Alumni VenturesManchester · $100K – $10M checksBasecamp FundManchester · $100K – $10M checksBerkeley FrontierBerkeleyBlue Bear VenturesSan Francisco · $100K – $400K checksCastor Ventures (an Alumni Ventures Fund)Department of EnergyWashington · since 2016Factorial FundsSan FranciscoG Vision CapitalMountain ViewGreycroftNew York · $100K – $5M checksGrit VenturesMenlo Park · $100K – $1M checksIAG Capital PartnersCharlestonInsight PartnersNew York · $120M – $350M checksIntel CapitalSanta Clara · $1M – $20M checksLight Street CapitalPalo AltoLockheed Martin VenturesBethesdaNational Science FoundationAlexandria · since 2016Nautilus Ventures Management Company (Us), LlcPalo AltoNTT DOCOMO VenturesTokyoNVIDIASanta Clara · since 2026Page One VenturesSilicon ValleyPartners ResoluteChicagoPlayground GlobalPalo Alto · $1M – $20M checksRising TidePacificaSilicon CatalystBrisbaneTyche PartnersLos Altos · $1M – $10M checks
Experience
- Ayar LabsPresident and CEO, Co-Foundercurrent2023 — presentSan Francisco Bay Area
- Ayar LabsPresident, CTO, and Co-Founder2020 — 2023San Francisco Bay Area
- Ayar LabsCo-Founder, President, and Chief Scientist2015 — 2020Emeryville, CA
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)Research Affiliate2013 — 2015
- University of Colorado BoulderResearch assistant2011 — 2015
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Mark Wade?
- Mark Wade is president, CEO, and a co-founder of Ayar Labs, a company developing optical communications technology for the data center industry. Before founding the company, he led the team that designed the optics in the first processor to communicate using light, having developed the underlying technology with his co-founders at MIT and UC Berkeley between 2010 and 2015. He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder, a master's degree in Electrical Engineering from the same institution, and bachelor's degrees in Physics and Electrical Engineering from Louisiana Tech University; he was a 2011 NSF Fellow and, with his co-founders, won the MIT Clean Energy Prize in May 2015.
- Where does Mark Wade work?
- Mark Wade is Founder & CEO of Ayar Labs.
- What companies did Mark Wade found?
- Mark Wade founded Ayar Labs.
- Where did Mark Wade go to school?
- Mark Wade studied at University of Colorado Boulder (Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Electrical Engineering (Optics)); Louisiana Tech University (Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Physics); Louisiana Tech University (Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Electrical Engineering).
Same school
Also attended University of Colorado Boulder255
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+ 249 more
Also attended Louisiana Tech University5
Shared employers
Also worked at Ayar Labs12
Paul BelkEntrepreneur in Residence at Kinetic Ventures, L.L.C.Benjamin LimDeputy Director at SGInnovatePat GelsingerGeneral Partner at Playground GlobalMatt HershensonVenture Partner at Playground GlobalRahul MekaPrincipal at Playground GlobalMo El-BibanyGeneral Partner at Page One Ventures
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Also worked at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)561
Aileen LeeFounder & Managing Partner of Cowboy VenturesMatt HuangCo-founder and Managing Partner at ParadigmMichael TruellCo-founder & CEO of CursorRaquel UrtasunFounder & CEO of WaabiColin WebbFounder & CEO of Avatar RoboticsDave JohnsonCo-founder & CEO of Dash Bio
+ 555 more
Also worked at University of Colorado Boulder69
Ben PerryInvestor at MedicxiYuhan XieInvestment Manager at Burda Principal InvestmentsSydney EberhardtInvestor at True VenturesSamuel ArbesmanVenture Partner at Lux CapitalJaclyn Freeman HesterGeneral Partner at FoundryTodd WallachEntrepreneur-In-Residence at The Innovation Space
+ 63 more