Matei Zaharia
InvestorUnicorn founderFounder at Databricks · CTO & Cofounder at Databricks Ventures
Berkeley, California, United States
FoundedDatabricks$188B
Find your path to Matei
2,341 people in our graph share verified history with Matei — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
Wesley ChanunlockedMatei: together at Google (2007)
×5Matei: together at Stanford University
Matei: together at Databricks
×5Matei: together at University of California, Berkeley
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 · 78
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 2025Capital One VenturesMcLean · since 2023CapitalGSan 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
AG
Ali GhodsiCo-founder & CEO
IS
Ion StoicaExecutive Officer, Director, Promoter
RX
Reynold XinFounder
PW
Patrick WendellFounder
AK
Andy KonwinskiFounder
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
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.
Colleagues at Databricks Ventures
Alex Laterza
Advisor at Exceptional Ventures
Ali Ghodsi
Co-founder & CEO of Databricks
Andrew Krioukov
Founder and General Partner at Laude Ventures
Andy Kofoid
President, Databricks at Smith Point Capital
Andy Konwinski
Founder and General Partner at Laude Ventures
Ankit Mathur
Scout at Greylock Partners
Arsalan Tavakoli
Investor at Foundation Capital
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Christina Farhat
Investor at E14 Fund
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Matei Zaharia?
- 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.
- Where does Matei Zaharia work?
- Matei Zaharia is Founder of Databricks and CTO & Cofounder at Databricks Ventures.
- What companies did Matei Zaharia found?
- Matei Zaharia founded Databricks.
- Where did Matei Zaharia go to school?
- Matei Zaharia studied at University of California, Berkeley (PhD, Computer Science); University of Waterloo (Bachelor of Mathematics, Honours Computer Science).
Founder mafias
Stanford University mafia1,932
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Peter ThielJ.D.Founded PayPal +1Reid HoffmanB.S.Founded LinkedIn +2David SacksB.A.Founded YammerKeith RaboisB.A.Founded OpendoorGarry TanBSFounded Y Combinator +1Joe LonsdaleBSFounded Opto +5
+ 1,925 more
University of Waterloo mafia346
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Chamath PalihapitiyaB.A.Sc.Founded 8090Apoorva MehtaBAScFounded InstacartJon LernerBachelor of Applied ScienceFounded Textnow +2Michael LittBASc. Honours Systems Design EngineeringFounded Garage Capital +1Mike McCauleyBAScFounded Garage Capital +1Zach WaterfieldComputer EngineeringFounded Zettlor +1
+ 339 more
Databricks Ventures mafia14
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Ali GhodsiCEO and Co-founderFounded DatabricksAndy KonwinskiCo-founderFounded Perplexity +1Naveen RaoAdvisorFounded Mosaic ML +1Jonathan FrankleChief AI ScientistFounded Mosaic MLTasso ArgyrosVP & GM, CustomerLakeFounded ActionIQNikita ShamgunovVice PresidentFounded SingleStore
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+ 7 more
Same school
Also attended University of California, Berkeley2,000
Byron DeeterPartner at Bessemer Venture PartnersSteve WozniakCo-founder of AppleTony XuCo-founder & CEO of DoorDashAravind SrinivasCo-founder & CEO of Perplexity AIAli GhodsiCo-founder & CEO of DatabricksRyan PetersenFounder & CEO of Flexport
+ 1,994 more
Also attended University of Waterloo541
Chamath PalihapitiyaFounder & CEO of Social CapitalApoorva MehtaFounder of Instacart; founder of Cloud Health SystemsAchintya ChaudhariInvestor at LightbankKarim GillaniGeneral Partner at Luge CapitalRohan MongaInvestment Associate at Luge CapitalAndrew MiklasGeneral Partner at Y Combinator
+ 535 more
Shared employers
Also worked at University of California, Berkeley469
Ali GhodsiCo-founder & CEO of DatabricksRaquel UrtasunFounder & CEO of WaabiArhaan A.Deeptech Fellow at Clear VenturesKevin Wijayaインドネシア法人代表 (Indonesia Office Representative) at CyberAgent CapitalPaul JennyBoard Chair at CincyTechMichael PerezDeputy General Counsel at Mucker Capital
+ 463 more
Also worked at Stanford University1,044
Ann Miura-KoCo-founding Partner at FloodgateBalaji SrinivasanAngel investor and founder of The Network SchoolMartin CasadoGeneral Partner at Andreessen HorowitzMike KriegerCo-founder of Instagram; Chief Product Officer at AnthropicAndy FangCo-founder & CTO of DoorDashRyan SheaCo-founder of Blockstack (Stacks)
+ 1,038 more
Also worked at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)764
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 RoboticsAbraham BachrachCo-founder & CTO of Skydio
+ 758 more
