Yunkai Zhou
InvestorPartner at FirsthandVC
San Francisco Bay Area
Writes $100K – $5M checks · typically $1.5M
About
Yunkai Zhou is founder and CEO of Gaida Corporation and previously founded Saige. He spent over 20 years in engineering roles at Microsoft, Google, and Meta, working across infrastructure, AI, web frontend, and mobile technologies. Zhou is an active angel investor and has experience leading cross-functional teams in product development, design, sales, marketing, and operations.
Experience
- Gaida CorporationFounder & CEOcurrent2024 — presentSan Francisco Bay Area
- Park Rangers Capital 🏕️Limited Partnercurrent2025 — presentNew York City Metropolitan Area
- MVP VenturesLimited Partnercurrent2025 — presentSan Francisco Bay Area
- FirsthandVCLimited Partnercurrent2022 — presentNew York City Metropolitan Area
- Foothill VenturesLimited Partnercurrent2017 — presentSan Francisco Bay Area
- MetaDirector of Engineering2019 — 2024San Francisco Bay Area
- MetaPrincipal Software Engineer2019San Francisco Bay Area
- Leap.ai (acquired by Meta)Co-founder & CTO2016 — 2019San Francisco Bay Area
- Compass ConferenceCo-Chair2018San Francisco Bay Area
- Sumo LogicHead of Machine Learning2015 — 2016San Francisco Bay Area
- GoogleSenior Staff Software Engineer / Tech Lead Manager2012 — 2015San Francisco Bay Area
- GoogleStaff Software Engineer / Tech Lead Manager2009 — 2012Greater Pittsburgh Region
- GoogleSenior Software Engineer2006 — 2009Greater Pittsburgh Region
- GoogleSoftware Engineer2006Greater Pittsburgh Region
- MicrosoftSoftware Design Engineer2003 — 2006Greater Seattle Area
Education
- Tsinghua UniversityB.S., Electrical Engineering1993 — 1998
- Drexel UniversityPh.D., Electrical Engineering1998 — 2003
Skills & more
MapReduce20C++42XML7T-SQLC#15Linux18Python8Java7Large Scale Systems4Machine Learning50Computer Security2Network Architecture1
+10 more
Resource AllocationDatabase DesignDistributed SystemsSoftware EngineeringSoftware DesignScalabilityAgile MethodologiesAlgorithmsSoftware DevelopmentCloud ComputingLanguages Chinese · English
From Yunkai's professional profile.
Colleagues at FirsthandVC
Network1
Investors connected to Yunkai in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.
Frequently asked questions
- Where does Yunkai Zhou work?
- Yunkai Zhou is Partner at FirsthandVC.
- What check size does Yunkai Zhou write?
- Yunkai Zhou typically writes checks of $100K – $5M.
Same school
Also attended Tsinghua University145
Zhenyu TangInvestment Director at Intel CapitalVinnie LauriaFounding Partner at Golden Gate VenturesTed BreyerPartner at Breyer CapitalAlexander KremerPartner at Keen Venture PartnersJefferson ChenManaging Director at Informed Ventures Advisors, LlcDr. Kewei YangInvestor at G Vision Capital
+ 139 more
Also attended Drexel University57
AdamAdvisor at Clear VenturesJesse MiddletonGeneral Partner at Flybridge Capital PartnersNabil UllahAssociate at Osage University PartnersVictoria LewisVenture Professional at Medical Excellence CapitalEliza DragomirSenior Analyst at SKY VCMarcie ReillyChief Growth Officer at The Innovation Space
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+ 51 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Meta286
Nat FriedmanCo-lead of Meta Superintelligence Labs; co-founder of NFDGDaniel GrossMeta Superintelligence Labs; co-founder of NFDG and Safe SuperintelligenceTinaInvestments & Portfolio Services Team Member at Clear VenturesMike ArpaiaComputer scientist working on machine learning and data infrastructureKevin ColleranManaging Director at Slow VenturesJon ChuInvestor at Khosla Ventures
+ 280 more
Also worked at Sumo Logic15
Pat GradyPartner at Sequoia CapitalJai DasPartner, President at Sapphire VenturesSahir AzamInvestor at Index VenturesAhmed Al-BaharEntrepreneur in Residence at Storm VenturesAsheem ChandnaInvestor at Greylock PartnersZack IsaacsonVenture Partner at Rackhouse Venture Management Lp
+ 9 more
Also worked at Google1,556
Ron ConwayFounder of SV AngelElad GilSolo general partner investing through Gil CapitalBrian SingermanCo-founder of GPx; Partner Emeritus at Founders FundJess LeePartner and Chief Product Officer at Sequoia CapitalTomasz TunguzFounder & General Partner at Theory VenturesHunter WalkCo-founder & Partner at Homebrew
+ 1,550 more
Also worked at Microsoft1,060
Reid HoffmanCo-founder of LinkedIn; Partner at GreylockGarry TanPresident & CEO of Y CombinatorNat FriedmanCo-lead of Meta Superintelligence Labs; co-founder of NFDGJavier SolteroSenior Venture Partner at Felicis VenturesViviana FagaGeneral Partner at Felicis VenturesWesley ChanInvestor at Felicis Ventures
+ 1,054 more