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Billionaire Profile
Ali Ghodsi
Global Rank
#764

Image: Steve Jurvetson from Menlo Park, USA | CC BY 2.0 | via Wikimedia Commons

Ali Ghodsi

CEO, Data analytics
SWEDEN
Real-Time Net Worth
$5.547B
Estimated based on Data analytics stock value as of April 20, 2026
0% (24h)
Age
47
Source
Data analytics
Industry
Technology
Citizenship
SWEDEN

Biography

Ali Ghodsi is the co-founder and CEO of Databricks, a leading data and AI company. His source of wealth stems from his role in Databricks, a data analytics and AI platform. Ghodsi's career began in academia, earning a Ph.D. in Computer Science from KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden. He co-founded Databricks in 2013, helping build the Apache Spark analytics engine, and has since led the company through significant growth, pioneering the data lakehouse architecture. As of March 2026, Databricks' valuation is at $134 billion. Ghodsi's leadership has been recognized for its impact on the tech industry, with Databricks serving more than 12,000 customers.

Fact Checked
Verified by Editorial Team
Live Data
Updated 4/20/2026

Wealth Over Time

In-Depth Profile

Early Life and Education

Ali Ghodsi was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1978. Due to the political climate, his family immigrated to Sweden in 1984 when he was five years old. Ghodsi excelled academically, earning a Master of Science in Computer Engineering and an MBA in Logistics and Strategic Marketing from Mid Sweden University. He later received a Ph.D. in Computer Science from KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm in 2006.

Rise to Success

After earning his Ph.D., Ghodsi became a researcher and assistant professor at KTH. In 2009, he joined UC Berkeley as a visiting scholar. At Berkeley, he worked on projects in distributed systems and helped start the Apache Mesos and Apache Spark projects. In 2013, Ghodsi co-founded Databricks along with six other UC Berkeley researchers. He became the CEO of Databricks in 2016.

Key Business Strategies

Under Ghodsi's leadership, Databricks has grown to a $134 billion valuation as of February 2026. The company has focused on developing the data lakehouse architecture, which combines the best features of data lakes and data warehouses. Databricks has also prioritized open-source contributions and strategic partnerships, including collaborations with Microsoft, Google, and Amazon. The company has surpassed a $4 billion revenue run-rate and has positive free cash flow.

Philanthropy

Specific philanthropic amounts were not found in the search results.

Career Milestones

2006

Ph.D.

Completed his Ph.D. in Computer Science at KTH Royal Institute of Technology.

2009

Visiting Scholar

Joined UC Berkeley as a visiting scholar.

2013

Co-founded Databricks

Co-founded Databricks, a data and AI company.

2016

CEO of Databricks

Became the CEO of Databricks.

Philanthropy & Social Impact

N/A

Not Available

$XB

Philanthropic initiatives could not be found.

Business Philosophy & Leadership

Notable Quotes

"“I grew up in a war. If you're seeing people die on the streets as a kid, you know anything can change at any given time.”"

Leadership Principles

Visionary Leadership

Ghodsi leads Databricks with a clear vision of democratizing data and AI.

Innovation

He emphasizes continuous innovation in big data processing and machine learning.

Adaptability

He has demonstrated adaptability by leading Databricks through various challenges and market changes.

Open-Source Advocacy

Ghodsi believes in the power of open-source technology to drive adoption and innovation.

Controversies & Challenges

N/A

No controversies found

No significant controversies were found in the search results.

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