•entrepreneur•

Education:  PhD in Materials, Science, and Engineering; Northwestern University;   Bachelors in Electrical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

From humble beginnings in Colombia to the heart of Silicon Valley, Dr. William A. Gaviria Rojas exemplifies an entrepreneurial spirit that drove him to  become a leader in AI and empower data practitioners and data-driven teams.

Dr. Gaviria’s academic excellence opened the door to a top-tier education starting with a scholarship to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and later Northwestern University. He worked as a researcher at prestigious institutions including the University of Minnesota, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, the MIT Lincoln Laboratory, and Northwestern’s Center for Quantum Devices. 

All the while he and classmate Cody Coleman dreamed of a career in Silicon Valley as they studied together at the intersection of data, the internet of things, computing, and AI. Eventually they co-founded Coactive AI in 2021.

By 2022, the fledgling company had successfully secured a seed round of funding led by an impressive list of general partners, Martin Casado, Elliot Robinson and the “godmother of AI” Stanford CS professor Fei-Fei Li.  Starting with $3 million in  seed round funding, Coactive today is a Series B company with over 50 employees and working with well-known customers at a $200 million valuation. 

Coactive AI was building AI large language models at a time when the general public mistook such technology for a Hollywood movie concept. Today the company is widely recognized for its world-class technologists, patents, and thirteen publications.

As an entrepreneur, Dr. Gaviria possesses exceptional critical thinking skills, sets and drives strategic goals, and demonstrates a keen understanding of the internal and external factors that influence Coactive AI’s business future. His analytical depth in AI, expertise in data-driven analysis of the AI market, and development of enterprise-level software that delivers value to Fortune 1000 customers all underscore a high-level business acumen.

All throughout, Dr. Gaviria has retained a fervent passion for supporting the Latino community of entrepreneurs from Latin America accessing resources and networks in Silicon Valley necessary to build their own tech startups.  He leads by example and demonstrates how to manage both short- and long-term goals based on specific business needs while continuing to deliver through adversity.

Like any great business leader, Dr. Gaviria possesses a high level of emotional intelligence.  His mature, calm, practical, self-aware, and confident demeanor consistently leaves a positive impact on Coactive’s employees and culture.  He is open to feedback, deftly balances self-confidence with humility and trustworthiness.

A unique blend of strategic insight, leadership skills, and emotional intelligence not only makes Dr. Gaviria an exceptional leader but also a truly influential entrepreneur.