Naveen Rao
Unicorn founderFounder & CEO at Unconventional AI · Founder at Mosaic ML
Incline Village, Nevada, United States
About
Naveen Rao is a neuroscientist, processor architect, entrepreneur, and investor currently serving as CEO of Unconventional AI. He co-founded Nervana, where he focused on developing hardware for artificial intelligence. His work has centered on building synthetic intelligence and expanding its availability.
Founder & CEO at Unconventional AI
Intro paths
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In turn, Naveen can intro founders to Unconventional AI's investors below.
Unconventional AI's investors · 8
Andreessen HorowitzMenlo Park · $500K – $50M checksDecibel PartnersMenlo Park · $100K – $10M checksFelicis VenturesSan Francisco · $500K – $15M checksGreycroftNew York · $100K – $5M checksLux CapitalNew York · $100K – $100M checksPlayground GlobalPalo Alto · $1M – $20M checksThe E14 FundCambridge · $1M – $5M checksWingPalo Alto · $200K – $20M checks
Co-founders at Unconventional AI
ML
MeeLan LeeFounder
MC
Michael CarbinFounder
Founder at Mosaic ML
Intro paths
→
In turn, Naveen can intro founders to Mosaic ML's investors below.
Mosaic ML's investors · 9
Bright Pixel CapitalLisbonCorrelation VenturesSan Francisco · $100K – $4M checksDCVC (Data Collective)Palo Alto · $5M – $25M checksFuture VenturesLos Altos · $1M – $10M checksInspired CapitalNew York · $500K – $20M checksLux CapitalNew York · $100K – $100M checks · since 2021Maverick VenturesSan Francisco · $3M – $10M checksPlayground GlobalPalo Alto · $1M – $20M checksThe E14 FundCambridge · $1M – $5M checks
Experience
- Unconventional AI[un]CEOcurrent2025 — present
- DatabricksAdvisorcurrent2025 — present
- DatabricksVice President of Artificial Intelligence2023 — 2025San Francisco Bay Area
- Allen InstituteScientific advisory boardcurrent2019 — presentGreater Seattle Area
- Beacon BiosignalsBoard Membercurrent2019 — present
- NeuRealityBoard membercurrent2020 — presentIsrael
- Luminous ComputingBoard Member2022 — 2024Santa Clara, CA
- MosaicMLCEO and co-founder2021 — 2023United States
- SquareBoard Member2017 — 2020San Francisco Bay Area
- Intel CorporationCorpVP and General Manager of Artificial Intelligence Products Group2017 — 2020Santa Clara, CA
- Intel CorporationVice President and General Manager (Intel acquisition)2016 — 2017San Diego, California
- NervanaCEO and Co-founder of Nervana2014 — 2016Greater San Diego Area
- QualcommResearcher - neuromorphic machines2012 — 2014San Diego and Massachusetts
- ITGAssistant Vice President2011 — 2012Greater Boston Area
- Brown UniversityPostdoctoral research associate in Neuroscience2011
- W&W Communications (acquired by Cavium networks)Principal Engineer2005 — 2008Mountain View, CA
- W&W Communications ( WWComs )Principal Engineer2005 — 2007
- Sun MicrosystemsStaff Engineer2004 — 2005
- Kealia, Inc.Design and Verfication Engineer2002 — 2004
- Caly NetworksDesign and Verification Engineer1999 — 2002
- Teragen CorporationDesign and Verification Engineer1998 — 1999
- Sun MicrosystemsVerification Engineer1997 — 1998
- IBMIntern1996
Skills & more
Matlab48C++13C9Microsoft Office3ExcelJava4AnalysisAlgorithms77Neuroscience61Programming24Statistics18System Design3
+12 more
ScienceOptimizationRTL designResearchEngineeringComputer ScienceLifesciencesArchitectural ModelingModelingApplied MathematicsLife SciencesTeachingFrom Naveen's professional profile.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Naveen Rao?
- Naveen Rao is a neuroscientist, processor architect, entrepreneur, and investor currently serving as CEO of Unconventional AI. He co-founded Nervana, where he focused on developing hardware for artificial intelligence. His work has centered on building synthetic intelligence and expanding its availability.
- Where does Naveen Rao work?
- Naveen Rao is Founder & CEO of Unconventional AI and Founder at Mosaic ML.
- What companies did Naveen Rao found?
- Naveen Rao founded Unconventional AI, Mosaic ML.
- Where did Naveen Rao go to school?
- Naveen Rao studied at Brown University (PhD, Neuroscience); Stanford University (Electrical Engineering); Duke University (BSEE, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science).
Same school
Also attended Brown University419
Theresia GouwFounding Partner at Acrew CapitalJoe GebbiaCo-founder of AirbnbDylan FieldCo-founder, CEO & Chair of FigmaAlexis AbramsPartner, General Counsel at Felicis VenturesJohn KimInvestor Relations at General CatalystAli Fisher SweetInvestor at Index Ventures
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+ 413 more
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 Duke University520
Fred EhrsamCo-founder and Senior Advisor at Paradigm; founder of NudgeJeremy LevinePartner at Bessemer Venture PartnersZach PerretCo-founder & CEO of Plaid; co-founder of MischiefJulie YangVice President at InvestcorpScott RaneyManaging Director at Redpoint VenturesJack Bixby LucasGeneral Partner at Lucas Venture Group
+ 514 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Unconventional AI8
Viviana FagaGeneral Partner at Felicis VenturesMarcie VuPartner at GreycroftKonstantine BuhlerInvestor at Sequoia CapitalGuru ChahalPartner at Lightspeed Venture PartnersCalvin ChinManaging Partner at E14 FundNaveen RaoCraft Advisory Board at Craft Ventures
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+ 2 more
Also worked at Intel Corporation344
Jim GoetzPartner at Sequoia CapitalSundeep PeechuGeneral Partner at Felicis VenturesKarim FarisInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)Viswa SankaranarayananVenture Partner at Monta Vista CapitalJob SimonVenture Partner and CTO at Monta Vista CapitalAssaf ArakiInvestment Director at Intel Capital
+ 338 more
