Kim Polese
Instructor
Kim Polese is Chairman and co-founder of CrowdSmart, a data-driven startup investment prediction platform that harnesses human and machine intelligence to dramatically improve success rates of seed-stage investors while democratizing access to capital and expertise for the most promising entrepreneurs everywhere.
Kim has a successful background as a founder and CEO. At Sun Microsystems Kim led the launch of Java in 1995. She has co-founded multiple software companies including Internet cloud software pioneer Marimba, serving as Chairman and CEO and leading the company to profitability, an IPO and a successful acquisition by BMC. Kim advises numerous technology companies and serves on several boards, including TechNet, the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, the Public Policy Institute of California, UC Berkeley’s College of Engineering Advisory Board and the Long Now Foundation. During the Obama Administration she served on the Congressionally-mandated Innovation Advisory Board.
Kim received her Bachelor's degree in Biophysics from UC Berkeley, studied Computer Science at the University of Washington, and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Business and Economics from California State University. She is an Aspen Institute Henry Crown Fellow and the recipient of numerous awards including Forbes Top Women in Tech, Information Week’s Top Technology Executives and Time Magazine’s 25 Most Influential Americans.