Shubham Goel

Shubham Goel is the Co-Founder and former Co-CEO of Affinity, a relationship intelligence platform that leverages artificial intelligence to enhance traditional customer relationship management (CRM) practices. He co-founded Affinity with Ray Zhou while they were students at Stanford University, where they recognized the challenges professionals faced in effectively utilizing their networks for business outcomes.14

Career and Education

Before launching Affinity in June 2015, Goel gained experience in various roles, including as a Partner at Dorm Room Fund and a Software Engineering Intern at Flickr. He also served as a CS106 Section Leader at Stanford, where he contributed to the education of fellow students in computer science.24

Affinity has grown significantly under Goel's leadership, becoming a key player in the relationship intelligence space, with over 3,200 firms in more than 80 countries using its platform.3 In 2019, both Goel and Zhou were recognized in Forbes' 30 Under 30 list for their contributions to technology.45

Recent Developments

In May 2024, Goel and Zhou announced their transition from co-CEO roles to focus on their responsibilities as co-founders and board members, with Ken Fine appointed as the new CEO. Despite stepping down from their executive positions, they remain committed to the vision and growth of Affinity.36

Goel's work at Affinity has been characterized by a focus on harnessing data from various communication streams to improve relationship management, which he believes is a crucial asset for professionals.45