Matei Zaharia
Unicorn founderFounder at Databricks
Berkeley, California, United States
FoundedDatabricks$188B
About
He completed his computer science PhD at UC Berkeley in 2013 and has taught since then, first as an assistant professor at MIT, then at Stanford from 2016 to 2023, before joining UC Berkeley as an associate professor. He has been a Hadoop committer at the Apache Software Foundation since 2009 and serves as its VP for Apache Spark.
Founder at Databricks
Intro paths
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In turn, Matei can intro founders to Databricks's investors below.
Databricks's investors · 75
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 FrontierBerkeleyBlackRockWilmington · 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 2025JuniperoMiamiLoup 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 CapitalCapitolaOssian 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
AG
Ali GhodsiExecutive Officer, Director, Promoter
IS
Ion StoicaExecutive Officer, Director, Promoter
RX

Reynold XinFounder
PW

Patrick WendellFounder
AK

Andy KonwinskiFounder
DC
David ConteExecutive Officer
TP
Tram PhiExecutive Officer
Experience
- DatabricksCTO & Cofoundercurrent2013 — presentSan Francisco, CA
- University of California, BerkeleyAssociate Professor of Computer Sciencecurrent2023 — presentBerkeley, CA
- The Apache Software FoundationVP, Apache Sparkcurrent2014 — present
- The Apache Software FoundationHadoop Committercurrent2009 — present
- Stanford UniversityAssociate Professor of Computer Science2022 — 2023
- Stanford UniversityAssistant Professor of Computer Science2016 — 2022Stanford, CA
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)Assistant Professor of Computer Science2015 — 2016Cambridge, MA
- UC BerkeleyComputer Science PhD Student2007 — 2013
- FacebookSoftware Engineer Intern2008
- GoogleSoftware Engineer Intern2007
- University of WaterlooResearch Assistant2004 — 2007
Education
- University of California, BerkeleyPhD, Computer Science2007 — 2012
- University of WaterlooBachelor of Mathematics, Honours Computer Science2003 — 2007
Skills & more
Cloud Computing22Networking9Distributed Systems44Computer Science21Machine Learning12Amazon EC22High Performance Computing4Scalability11Algorithms9Big Data33Spark12Software Engineering9
+9 more
Computer GraphicsApache SparkPythonAmazon Web Services (AWS)RESTOpen SourceScalaJavaOperating SystemsFrom Matei's professional profile.
Frequently asked questions
- Where does Matei Zaharia work?
- Matei Zaharia is Founder at Databricks.
- What companies did Matei Zaharia found?
- Matei Zaharia founded Databricks.
Founder mafias
Stanford University mafia854
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
+ 847 more
University of California, Berkeley mafia519
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
David FriedbergBAFounded Climate +2Andrew NgDoctor of Philosophy - PhDFounded Factored +2Mike SigalBAFounded Fanvestor +2Ivan ZhouMolecular BiologyFounded Decagon +2Sean GroveFounded Linzumi +2Harish AgarwalMaster of Science - MSFounded Nori +2
+ 512 more
University of Waterloo mafia198
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Zach WaterfieldComputer EngineeringFounded Zettlor +1Peter CarresciaBMathFounded GoConfirm +1Eric BlondeelDoctor of Philosophy - PhDFounded Samos Insurance +1Oleg KostourHonours Bachelor of Architectural StudiesFounded AtlasGrid +1Anton KrutianskyBachelor of Applied Science (B.A.Sc.)Founded AtlasGrid +1Eric MigicovskyBachelor of EngineeringFounded Beeper +1
+ 191 more
Same school
Also attended University of California, Berkeley1,340
Byron DeeterPartner at Bessemer Venture PartnersTrevor OelschigInvestment Team at General CatalystBrendan Bulik-SullivanInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)Glen AndersonPartner at Monta Vista CapitalAnthony LinHead of Intel Capital, Corporate Vice President at Intel CapitalScott ShawChief of Staff at Intel Capital
+ 1,334 more
Also attended University of Waterloo343
Chamath PalihapitiyaFounder & CEO of Social Capital; CEO of 8090; All-In co-hostKarim GillaniGeneral Partner at Luge CapitalRohan MongaInvestment Associate at Luge CapitalAndrew MiklasGeneral Partner at Y CombinatorAniTalent Team at Hummingbird VenturesAlex KolicichInvestment Team at 8VC
+ 337 more
Shared employers
Also worked at University of California, Berkeley287
Paul 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 CapitalRoseanneCo-founder at Renegade Partners
+ 281 more
Also worked at Stanford University647
Ann Miura-KoCo-founding Partner at FloodgateBalaji SrinivasanEngineer, founder, angel investor, author of The Network State, and founder of Network SchoolMartin CasadoGeneral Partner at Andreessen HorowitzDeep NisharInvestment Team at General CatalystPaul KwanInvestment Team at General CatalystBryan OffuttInvestor at Index Ventures
+ 641 more
Also worked at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)442
Aileen LeeFounder & Managing Partner of Cowboy VenturesMatt HuangCo-founder and Managing Partner at ParadigmScott BillerInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)Noubar AfeyanInvestor at Flagship PioneeringVyas RamananVenture Partner at Third Rock VenturesRhie LimPartner, Global Strategy at One Way Ventures
+ 436 more
Also worked at Facebook485
Peter ThielCo-founder & Partner at Founders FundChamath PalihapitiyaFounder & CEO of Social Capital; CEO of 8090; All-In co-hostJim BreyerFounder & CEO of Breyer CapitalDavid SzeAdvisory Partner at GreylockKen ChenaultInvestment Team at General CatalystIsabelle StyslingerSenior Associate, Rise of the Rest at Revolution
+ 479 more



































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