Tom Chavez
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Tom Chavez is a hi-tech entrepreneur,{{Cite web|last=Constine|first=Josh|date=October 2, 2009|title=A startup factory? $1.2B-exit team launches $65M super{set}|url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/10/02/superset/|website=TechCrunch}} author and co-founder of super{set},{{Cite web|last=Lebowitz|first=Shana|date=July 2, 2020|title=The onetime HR chiefs of Google and Goldman Sachs are betting on surging demand for diversity-and-inclusion tech. Here's their plan for remaking the $148 billion market|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/google-goldman-sachs-former-hr-chiefs-quantify-diversity-inclusion-culture-2020-6|url-access=subscription|website=Business Insider}} a startup studio that builds and funds software companies.{{Cite web|last=Takahashi|first=Dean|date=June 18, 2020|title=Eskalera creates AI-based inclusion index to measure a better workplace|url=https://venturebeat.com/2020/06/18/eskalera-creates-ai-based-inclusion-index-to-measure-a-better-workplace/|website=Venture Beat}}
Early life and education
Chavez was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is one of five children from a working-class family{{Cite web|title=A family with ambition\Devoted parents scrimped to send 5 children to Harvard|url=https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/A-family-with-ambition-Devoted-parents-scrimped-2610671.php|date=September 7, 2005|website=SFGate}} of Spanish and Mexican descent, and his paternal side traces its roots back to one of the original settlers of Santa Fe, Don Pedro Duran y Chavez.{{Cite news|title=5 Chavez Siblings Beget 5 Harvard Graduates|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-jun-03-mn-5837-story.html|date=June 3, 2001|newspaper=LA Times}}
Chavez graduated from Albuquerque Academy in 1986.{{Cite news|date=2004-12-12|title=Leadership Award|pages=30|work=Albuquerque Journal|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90638551/albuquerque-journal/|access-date=2021-12-16|via=Newspapers.com}} He earned a B.A. in 1990{{Cite web|title=Mother's dream becomes reality|url=https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2001/06/mothers-dream-becomes-reality/|date=June 7, 2001|website=The Harvard Gazette}} in computer science and philosophy magna cum laude from Harvard University and a Ph.D. in engineering-economic systems and operations research from Stanford University,{{Cite web|title=Tom Chavez Has an Ear for Eureka and an Eye for Talent|url=https://thealumnisociety.com/tom-chavez-krux-inc/|date=July 1, 2018|website=The Alumni Society}} where he was a NASA doctoral fellow.{{Cite web|title=Tom Chavez|url=https://www.hsf.net/stories-detail?storyId=101749803|website=Hispanic Scholarship Fund}}
Career
Before starting Rapt, he worked for Sun Microsystems and at a think tank called Rockwell.{{Cite news|last=Russell|first=Lars|date=2007-12-24|title=Tom Chavez: Adapting to Changing Times|pages=11|work=The San Francisco Examiner|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90638045/the-san-francisco-examiner/|access-date=2021-12-16|via=Newspapers.com}} Chavez launched his first startup, Rapt, a company that creates software for Web publishers, in 1998.{{Cite web|title=Microsoft Picks Up Another Ad Startup: Rapt|url=https://techcrunch.com/2008/03/14/microsoft-picks-up-another-ad-startup-rapt/|date=March 14, 2008|website=TechCrunch}} As CEO and co-founder, Chavez led the company for 10 years until its acquisition by Microsoft for $180 million in 2008. In 2010, Chavez launched his second venture, Krux, which scanned devices for information.{{Cite news|last=Hardy|first=Quentin|date=11 March 2016|title=Tech Companies Entice Cloud Computing Experts|work=The Idaho Statesman|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90638700/|access-date=15 December 2021|via=Newspapers.com}}
{{Cite news|title=Cloud|work=The Idaho Statesman|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90638805/}} The analytics company was bought by Salesforce in 2016.{{Cite web|title=Salesforce Agrees to Buy Marketing-Date Startup Krux|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/salesforce-agrees-to-buy-marketing-data-startup-krux-1475525280|date=October 3, 2016|website=The Wall Street Journal}} In 2018, Chavez launched the San Francisco-based venture studio super{set}, which forms software startups and supports them from its own venture capital fund. As of 2019, companies led by Chavez have generated a 17.5x return for investors.
= Writing =
Chavez is the co-author of Data Driven: Harnessing Data and AI to Reinvent Customer Engagement and winner of the 2019 Axiom Business Book Award Silver Medalist in Business Technology.{{Cite web|title=Axiom Business Book Awards 2019 Results|url=http://www.axiomawards.com/83/award-winners/2019-winners|website=Axiom Business Book Awards}}
Philanthropy
Chavez co-founded the Chavez Family Foundation, which invests in non-profit projects in education, immigration, and entrepreneurship. Supported organizations include Immigrants Rising, Mission Asset Fund, and Immigrant Legal Resource Center.{{Cite web|title=Chavez Family Foundation- About Us|url=https://chavezfamilyfoundation.org/about-us|website=Chavez Family Foundation}}
The Chavez Family Foundation was a founding investor in the California Campus Catalyst Fund. This initiative works to expand support to undocumented students and their families across the state's three public higher education systems: California Community Colleges, California State University, and the University of California.{{Cite web|title=Catalyst Fund- Who We Are|url=https://californiacatalystfund.org/about-the-catalyst-fund/who-we-are/|website=California Catalyst Fund}}
Chavez sits on the non-profit boards of KQED (public media for the Bay Area){{Cite web|title=2021 Board of Directors and Community Advisory Panel|url=https://www.kqed.org/about/board-directory-and-community-advisory-panel|website=www.kqed.org}} and VH1's Save the Music Foundation.{{Cite web|title=Board of Directors- Save the Music Foundation|url=https://www.savethemusic.org/about/board/|website=www.savethemusic.org}}