Ali Partovi

Ali Partovi is an Iranian-American entrepreneur, software engineer, and angel investor, currently serving as a Principal Software Engineer at Brex. He is well-known for his involvement in several successful tech startups and initiatives in Silicon Valley.

Education and Early Career

Born in 1972, Partovi grew up during the Iran-Iraq war and later moved to the United States. He earned both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Computer Science from Harvard University. His early career included roles as a Software Consultant at Oracle and as a Lead Product Manager at Microsoft, where he contributed to various projects, including the Interactive TV initiative.1

Notable Contributions

Partovi co-founded several influential companies, including:

• LinkExchange: An early online advertising network that was acquired by Microsoft in 1998.
• iLike: A music discovery service that gained popularity in the mid-2000s.
• Code.org: A non-profit organization he co-founded to promote computer science education globally, alongside his twin brother Hadi Partovi.

In addition to these ventures, he has been an early advisor to companies like Dropbox and Airbnb and has invested in various startups through his venture fund, Neo, which he established in 2017. Neo focuses on mentoring and supporting emerging tech leaders and has a significant portfolio of investments.12

Personal Life and Interests

Partovi is passionate about education, sustainable agriculture, and technology's role in society. He has also expressed interest in foreign policy and diversity in the tech industry. Outside of his professional endeavors, he enjoys climbing, playing guitar, and solving puzzles.12