# Dharmesh Thakker
Dharmesh Thakker is a venture capitalist who serves as a General Partner at Battery Ventures in Menlo Park, where he has invested since 2015 in cloud infrastructure, big data, security, and enterprise applications, and whose deal record includes [Databricks](https://www.edgepedia.org/databricks), Gong, and Baseten alongside exits such as JFrog, Confluent, and [Sumo Logic](https://www.edgepedia.org/sumo-logic). He was named to Forbes' 2026 Midas List of the world's top venture investors.[1](https://www.battery.com/people/dharmesh-thakker/) Battery's announcement of the honor described him as focused on infrastructure companies across the emerging AI stack.[3](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/battery-ventures_were-incredibly-proud-to-see-two-of-our-activity-7465464045924560896-CH55)
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Firm and role | General Partner, Battery Ventures (Menlo Park); joined 2015[1](https://www.battery.com/people/dharmesh-thakker/) |
| Investment focus | Infrastructure and application software: AI apps, cloud and DevOps, data, security, open source[1](https://www.battery.com/people/dharmesh-thakker/) |
| Prior career | Managing director, Intel Capital (global cloud and big-data practice); product roles at Keynote Systems and Manhattan Associates[1](https://www.battery.com/people/dharmesh-thakker/) |
| Education | BS electrical engineering, University of Texas at Austin; MBA, Wharton[1](https://www.battery.com/people/dharmesh-thakker/) |
| Notable active investments | Databricks, Gong, Baseten, Reflection AI, SambaNova, ClickHouse, Arize, Weaviate, Galileo, Opal Security, Orkes, Nexthop, Hush Security[1](https://www.battery.com/people/dharmesh-thakker/) |
| Exits | JFrog, Confluent, Sumo Logic (IPOs); StreamSets, Bridgecrew, Bionic, Fungible, JASK, Guardsquare, Normalyze (acquisitions)[1](https://www.battery.com/people/dharmesh-thakker/) • [2](https://www.forbes.com/profile/dharmesh-thakker/) |
| Recognition | Forbes Midas List 2026; Midas Brink List 2016; Business Insider 23 Top Venture Capitalists in Enterprise Tech 2018[1](https://www.battery.com/people/dharmesh-thakker/) • [4](https://thetalake.com/team/dharmesh-thakker/) |
## Early career and education
Thakker's path into enterprise-software investing began in technology operations rather than finance. Forbes describes him as having worked as a chip designer and a software entrepreneur before joining Intel Capital.[2](https://www.forbes.com/profile/dharmesh-thakker/) He then spent almost a decade in product management and go-to-market roles at Keynote Systems (Nasdaq: KEYN), Manhattan Associates (Nasdaq: MANH), and two startups that were acquired, experience he carried into his later focus on infrastructure software.[1](https://www.battery.com/people/dharmesh-thakker/)
At Intel Capital, he became a managing director and led the firm's global cloud and big-data practice, and he assisted long-range strategic planning for Intel's $14 billion datacenter group.[1](https://www.battery.com/people/dharmesh-thakker/) His board and investment activity there included BlueData, Cloudera, DynamicOps, MongoDB, Movidius, and [ScienceLogic](https://www.edgepedia.org/sciencelogic).[1](https://www.battery.com/people/dharmesh-thakker/)
He holds a BS in electrical engineering from the [University of Texas at Austin](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-texas-at-austin) and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business.[1](https://www.battery.com/people/dharmesh-thakker/)
## At Battery Ventures
Thakker joined Battery in 2015 to make early-venture and growth-equity investments in cloud infrastructure, big data, security, and next-generation enterprise applications.[1](https://www.battery.com/people/dharmesh-thakker/) His stated focus areas today are infrastructure software and application software, with interest in AI-powered apps, cloud and [DevOps](https://www.edgepedia.org/devops), data, security, and open source.[1](https://www.battery.com/people/dharmesh-thakker/) Battery says he is focused on infrastructure companies across the emerging AI stack.[3](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/battery-ventures_were-incredibly-proud-to-see-two-of-our-activity-7465464045924560896-CH55)
## Notable investments and exits
Forbes credits him with backing Databricks, which was valued at $134 billion in February 2026.[2](https://www.forbes.com/profile/dharmesh-thakker/)
His other active positions include Baseten, valued at $5 billion; Gong, valued at $4.5 billion; [Reflection AI](https://www.edgepedia.org/reflection-ai), reportedly raising at a $25 billion valuation; and SambaNova, which last raised $350 million in February 2026.[2](https://www.forbes.com/profile/dharmesh-thakker/) Battery's team page additionally lists active involvements in Arize, ClickHouse, Collibra, Fundamental, Galileo, InfluxData, LinearB, Matillion, Opal Security, Orkes, Postman, Styra, Theta Lake, Unify, and [Weaviate](https://www.edgepedia.org/weaviate), plus seed investments Nexthop and Hush Security.[1](https://www.battery.com/people/dharmesh-thakker/)
**Exits** span both public offerings and acquisitions. Forbes lists JFrog, Confluent, and Sumo Logic, along with the [StreamSets](https://www.edgepedia.org/streamsets) and Bridgecrew acquisitions, among his exits.[2](https://www.forbes.com/profile/dharmesh-thakker/) Battery's team page adds Bionic (acquired by [CrowdStrike](https://www.edgepedia.org/crowdstrike)), Fungible (acquired by Microsoft), Guardsquare (sold to Verdane), JASK (acquired by Sumo Logic), and Normalyze (acquired by Proofpoint).[1](https://www.battery.com/people/dharmesh-thakker/)
## Public positions and recognition
In 2016 he was named to the Forbes Midas Brink List of up-and-coming venture capitalists, and in 2018 [Business Insider](https://www.edgepedia.org/business-insider) included him on its list of the 23 Top Venture Capitalists in Enterprise Tech.[4](https://thetalake.com/team/dharmesh-thakker/) He was named to the 2026 Midas List, one of two Battery general partners on that year's list alongside Michael Brown.[1](https://www.battery.com/people/dharmesh-thakker/) • [3](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/battery-ventures_were-incredibly-proud-to-see-two-of-our-activity-7465464045924560896-CH55)
## The record in recent years
Since 2023, Thakker's new positions have concentrated on the AI stack: Reflection AI, Baseten, Arize, Galileo, Opal Security, Orkes, and the seed-stage Nexthop and Hush Security.[1](https://www.battery.com/people/dharmesh-thakker/) Battery attributed his 2026 Midas List recognition to the Databricks, Gong, Baseten, Reflection, and SambaNova investments and the JFrog, Confluent, Sumo Logic, StreamSets, and Bridgecrew exits.[3](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/battery-ventures_were-incredibly-proud-to-see-two-of-our-activity-7465464045924560896-CH55)
## References
1. [Dharmesh Thakker - Battery Ventures team page](https://www.battery.com/people/dharmesh-thakker/)
2. [Dharmesh Thakker - Forbes profile (Midas List 2026)](https://www.forbes.com/profile/dharmesh-thakker/)
3. [Battery Ventures post on the 2026 Forbes Midas List](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/battery-ventures_were-incredibly-proud-to-see-two-of-our-activity-7465464045924560896-CH55)
4. [Dharmesh Thakker - Theta Lake team bio](https://thetalake.com/team/dharmesh-thakker/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Economics and business › Founders, operators, and investors › Venture and growth investors › Enterprise software and infrastructure investors › Enterprise software and SaaS investors › Growth-stage enterprise software investors*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license