Fundraising Fox

Michal Valko

Investor

Venture Partner at KAYA · Venture Partner at Formula VC

Greater Paris Metropolitan Region

About

Michal Valko is a founding researcher at Isara Labs and a tenured researcher at Inria, where he also serves as a lecturer in the MVA master's program at ENS Paris-Saclay. His research focuses on algorithms requiring minimal human supervision, including deep reinforcement learning, bandit algorithms, and self-supervised learning, with recent work on representation learning and large language model fine-tuning and alignment. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh and has previously contributed to establishing Google DeepMind Paris alongside Rémi Munos.

Experience

  1. Isara LabsFounding Researchercurrent2025 — presentParis, Île-de-France, France
  2. InriaTenured Senior Scientistcurrent2013 — presentParis, Île-de-France, France
  3. InriaTenured Junior Scientist2012 — 2013Greater Lille Metropolitan Area
  4. InriaPostdoctoral Researcher2011 — 2012Greater Lille Metropolitan Area
  5. École normale supérieure Paris-SaclayExternal Lecturer (CEV)current2013 — presentFrance
  6. MetaPrincipal Llama Scientist2024Paris, Île-de-France, France
  7. Google DeepMindSenior Staff Research Scientist2021 — 2024Greater Paris Metropolitan Region
  8. Google DeepMindStaff Research Scientist2019 — 2021Greater Paris Metropolitan Region
  9. University of PittsburghResearch Assistant2006 — 2011Greater Pittsburgh Region
  10. University of PittsburghTeaching Assistant2005
  11. IntelGraduate Research Intern2010
  12. IntelIntel Research Grad Intern2009
  13. Slovak Academy of SciencesResearch Assistant2003 — 2006

Skills & more

Social Network Analysis1Bayesian OptimizationGame TheoryLarge Language Models (LLM)Deep LearningMachine Learning99Artificial Intelligence18Algorithms70Pattern Recognition37Computer Science22Graph Theory4Programming35
+12 moreData MiningStatisticsApplied MathematicsResearchMathematicsStatistical ModelingAnomaly DetectionBioinformaticsLaTeXC++CSQL

Languages Czech · English · French · Portuguese · Slovak

From Michal's professional profile.

Colleagues at KAYA

Jakub Jurovych
Investor at KAYA
Julie Hucikova
Finance & Operations at KAYA
Juraj Masar
Investor at KAYA
Karel Zheng
General Partner at KAYA
Klaudia Kristofova
Finance & Operations at KAYA
Martin Rajcan
General Partner at KAYA
Martin Schmid
Investor at KAYA
Pavel Mucha
General Partner at KAYA

Frequently asked questions

Who is Michal Valko?
Michal Valko is a founding researcher at Isara Labs and a tenured researcher at Inria, where he also serves as a lecturer in the MVA master's program at ENS Paris-Saclay. His research focuses on algorithms requiring minimal human supervision, including deep reinforcement learning, bandit algorithms, and self-supervised learning, with recent work on representation learning and large language model fine-tuning and alignment. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh and has previously contributed to establishing Google DeepMind Paris alongside Rémi Munos.
Where does Michal Valko work?
Michal Valko is Venture Partner at KAYA.
Where did Michal Valko go to school?
Michal Valko studied at University of Pittsburgh (PhD., Machine Learning); ENS Paris-Saclay (Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches (HdR), Bandit theory); Universidade Nova de Lisboa (Erasmus Exchange, Machine Learning).

Same school

Also attended ENS Paris-Saclay17

Arthur MenschCo-founder & CEO of Mistral AIJerome de TycheyInvestor at ATKALouise-Marie RakotoarisonAnalyst at Kurma PartnersSarah LoertscherAssociate at ISALT - Investissements Stratégiques en Actions Long TermeJerry ChenInvestor at Mucker CapitalBruno VegrevilleFounder at Hera

+ 11 more

Also attended Universidade Nova de Lisboa34

Pedro Ribeiro SantosManaging Partner at Armilar Venture PartnersPaulo RosadoSenior Advisor at Armilar Venture PartnersRicardo JacintoManaging Partner at Shilling VCDaniel NascimentoPrincipal at Semapa NextRoberto BrancoCo-Founder and CEO at Beta CapitalHeitor BenfeitoManaging Director at Critical Ventures

+ 28 more

Also attended Univerzita Komenského v Bratislave8

Kristina VulganCo-Founder & Managing Partner at Ferocity CapitalAndy TothVenture Partner, Berlin at Scale CapitalSimon BecicaFund Operations Director at 3TS Capital PartnersKatarina HudakovaFinancial Manager at 3TS Capital PartnersRadoslav TausingerPartner at CVI Dom Maklerski sp. z o.oTomáš VyšnýInvestor at 365.fintech

+ 2 more

Also attended Carnegie Mellon University445

Kai-Fu LeeChairman of Sinovation Ventures and CEO of 01.AILucy GuoCo-founder of Scale AI; founder & CEO of PassesJoshua XuCo-founder & CEO of HeyGenAvi BharadwajInvestment Director at Intel CapitalRasik ParikhInvestor at Madrona Venture GroupOren EtzioniVenture Partner at Madrona Venture Group

+ 439 more

Shared employers

Also worked at Isara Labs1

CJ ReimManaging Partner at Amity Ventures

Also worked at Inria35

Arthur MenschCo-founder & CEO of Mistral AIKathy PhamInvestor at Blue Tulip VenturesSteph Korey GoodwinCo-founder, Charmspring; Co-founder, Away at xfactor venturesEiichiro HaraSenior Managing Director, Business Development, Japan at Capital DynamicsJean KrivineInvestor at ATKAProf. Sandeep ShuklaProfessor & Director, IIIT Hyderabad at T-Hub

+ 29 more

Also worked at École normale supérieure Paris-Saclay4

Benjamin WainstainPartner at InnovacomPascal FeillardRepresentative of Industry at EIT Urban Mobility AcceleratorJules TestardFounder at Jam.gg (formerly Piepacker)Etienne BernardFounder at NuMind

Also worked at Meta316

Nat FriedmanCo-lead of Meta Superintelligence Labs; co-founder of NFDGDaniel GrossMeta Superintelligence Labs; co-founder of NFDG and Safe SuperintelligenceDrew HoustonCo-founder & CEO of DropboxGabriel PereyraCo-founder & President of HarveyTinaInvestments & Portfolio Services Team Member at Clear VenturesMike ArpaiaComputer scientist working on machine learning and data infrastructure

+ 310 more