Tom Chavez

Founding General Partner

Tom Chavez is a Founding Partner at super{set}. As a serial entrepreneur, he has spent the last 20 years using data, decision science, and AI to solve hard, interesting problems.

Prior to forming super{set}, Tom was CEO and co-founder of Krux, a marketing technology platform acquired by Salesforce in 2016. Before Krux, he was CEO and co-founder of Rapt, a provider of software for media monetization acquired by Microsoft in 2008. Before Rapt he worked as a researcher in probabilistic AI and decision theory at Rockwell and as a Systems Architect at Sun Microsystems, the original ‘Big Tech’ company, where he was employee #35,642. To date, the companies Tom built have generated a 17.5x return for investors and substantial wealth for employees. 

Tom holds a B.A. in Computer Science and Philosophy from Harvard University and a Ph.D. in Engineering-Economic Systems and Operations Research from Stanford University. He grew up in Albuquerque, NM, the middle child in a family of five kids. To take a break, he likes to play and write music and see live shows.

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Nov 1, 2023

Tom Chavez in Forbes: 5 Startup Studio Misconceptions

It's still early for the startup studio asset class - and we hear misconceptions about the studio model every day, ranging from the basic confusion of accelerators versus studios to downright incorrect assumptions on our deep commitment to the build-out of every company. Read Tom Chavez' latest in Forbes.

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#passthemic
Oct 15, 2023

Tom Chavez in Huffpost Personal for Hispanic Heritage Month

Writing in the Huffington Post: "My Mom Sent Me And My 4 Siblings To Harvard. Here's The 1 Thing I Tell People About Success."

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announcements
Sep 15, 2023

Tom Chavez in Tech Crunch: Answering AI’s biggest questions requires an interdisciplinary approach

Tom Chavez, writing in TechCrunch, calls for new approaches to the problems of Ethical AI: "We have to build a more responsible future where companies are trusted stewards of people’s data and where AI-driven innovation is synonymous with good. In the past, legal teams carried the water on issues like privacy, but the brightest among them recognize they can’t solve problems of ethical data use in the age of AI by themselves."

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Founder Notes
Aug 23, 2023

Navigating the Startup Journey from Launch to Finish Line

Are you a launcher, or a finisher? The balance of conviction, a guiding vision, and the right team to execute it all make the difference between entrepreneurial success and failure. Tom Chavez delves into his journey as a first-time CEO and the invaluable guidance he received from a key mentor.

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super{summit} 2023
Jul 31, 2023

Hold Fast: Game-Changing Wisdom from Seamus Blackley

Creator of the XBox and serial entrepreneur Seamus Blackley joined Tom Chavez on stage at the 2023 super{summit} in New Orleans, Louisiana, for a free-ranging conversation covering the intersection of creativity and technology, recovering back from setbacks to reach new heights, and a pragmatic reflection on the role of fear and regret in entrepreneurship.

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Founder Notes
Jan 19, 2023

Q&A with Accel Founder Arthur Patterson

Arthur Patterson, founder of venture capital firm Accel, sits down for a fireside chat with super{set} founding partner Tom Chavez as part of our biweekly super{set} Community Call. Arthur and Tom cover venture investing, company-building, and even some personal stories from their history together.

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Founder Notes
Sep 27, 2022

The Era of Easy $ Is Over

The era of easy money - or at least, easy returns for VCs - is over. Tom Chavez is calling for VCs to show up in-person at August board meetings, get off the sidelines, and start adding real value and hands-on support for founders.

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Founder Notes
Jul 22, 2022

Too Dumb to Quit

The decision to start a company – or to join an early stage one – is an act of the gut. On good days, I see it as a quasi-spiritual commitment. On bad days, I see it as sheer irrationality. Whichever it is, you’ll be happier if you acknowledge and calmly accept the lunacy of it all...

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