{"id":"0cab5c1c-9d7f-4a69-9309-e5b41e25d2e2","slug":"naveen-rao","name":"Naveen Rao","bioBrief":"Neuroscientist-turned-entrepreneur who co-founded [Nervana Systems](/companies/nervana-systems) in 2014 to build AI-optimized hardware and software. After Intel acquired Nervana for ~$408M in 2016, Rao led Intel's AI Products Group as VP & GM until 2020. He then co-founded MosaicML, a generative-AI training platform acquired by Databricks for ~$1.3B in 2023, where he served as VP of Generative AI until 2025. He now leads Unconventional AI.","priorExits":[{"date":"2016-08-09","name":"Nervana Systems","outcome":"acquired by Intel for ~$408M"},{"date":"2023-07-21","name":"MosaicML","outcome":"acquired by Databricks for ~$1.3B"}],"nationality":"American","verificationPosture":"verified","aliases":[],"sources":[{"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nervana_Systems","title":"Nervana Systems","sourceName":"Wikipedia"},{"url":"https://techcrunch.com/author/naveen-rao/","title":"Naveen Rao, Author at TechCrunch","sourceName":"TechCrunch"},{"url":"https://www.crn.com/news/components-peripherals/top-intel-ai-exec-naveen-rao-departs-after-nervana-pivot","title":"Top Intel AI Exec Naveen Rao Departs After Nervana Pivot","sourceName":"CRN"}],"reviewStatus":"reviewed","createdAt":"2026-08-02T17:01:59.570Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-02T18:19:24.210Z","educations":[],"companyRoles":[{"id":"25829ae2-cd03-4cd1-837a-a2c0c3b2b19c","personId":"0cab5c1c-9d7f-4a69-9309-e5b41e25d2e2","companyId":"72eece57-d8d7-4841-b7aa-7da74819125c","role":"ceo","roleTitle":"CEO & Co-founder","startDate":null,"endDate":"2016-08-09T00:00:00.000Z","currentRole":false,"roleBasis":"verified_secondary","createdAt":"2026-08-02T17:02:00.344Z","company":{"slug":"nervana-systems","name":"Nervana Systems"}},{"id":"8d39df84-036e-4a65-9940-4b0ece394d81","personId":"0cab5c1c-9d7f-4a69-9309-e5b41e25d2e2","companyId":"72eece57-d8d7-4841-b7aa-7da74819125c","role":"founder","roleTitle":"Co-founder","startDate":null,"endDate":"2016-08-09T00:00:00.000Z","currentRole":false,"roleBasis":"verified_secondary","createdAt":"2026-08-02T17:02:01.110Z","company":{"slug":"nervana-systems","name":"Nervana Systems"}},{"id":"d54f4208-b25f-41a2-b3d0-03e54859b93c","personId":"0cab5c1c-9d7f-4a69-9309-e5b41e25d2e2","companyId":"292dcd66-cd10-4ee8-bc46-c6f46ccdb848","role":"executive","roleTitle":"VP & GM, AI Products Group","startDate":null,"endDate":"2020-02-01T00:00:00.000Z","currentRole":false,"roleBasis":"verified_secondary","createdAt":"2026-08-02T18:19:15.963Z","company":{"slug":"intel","name":"Intel Corporation"}}],"boardRoles":[],"investorRoles":[],"foundings":[]}