Matthew Calkins, founder and CEO of Appian, built one of the most enduring low-code software companies by betting early on automation, workflow, and enterprise speed. Launching Appian in 1999, Calkins steered the company through multiple technology cycles, positioning it as a core platform for digital transformation across government and large enterprises. Under his leadership, Appian went public in 2017 and became a recognized leader in low-code development and process automation. Known for his long-term vision, intellectual rigor, and independent thinking, Calkins has maintained founder control while shaping how organizations build and deploy software at scale.

Matei Zaharia, cofounder and CTO of Databricks, is one of the most influential computer scientists behind modern big-data and AI infrastructure. While a PhD student at UC Berkeley, he created Apache Spark, the open-source data-processing engine that revolutionized large-scale analytics and became foundational to enterprise data platforms worldwide. Zaharia went on to help build Databricks into a multibillion-dollar company, translating academic research into commercial cloud-native tools used by thousands of organizations. Known for bridging deep research with practical engineering, he remains a defining architect of the data and AI stack powering today’s digital economy.

Mat Ishbia, CEO and chairman of United Wholesale Mortgage, built the company into the largest wholesale mortgage lender in the United States by modernizing broker-centric lending through technology, scale, and relentless execution. Taking over the family business in 2013, Ishbia transformed UWM into a national powerhouse, leading it public via a SPAC merger and reshaping the competitive dynamics of mortgage origination. Beyond finance, he is a major sports owner, acquiring controlling stakes in the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury and investing heavily in team infrastructure and fan experience. Known for his intensity, competitive mindset, and emphasis on culture, Ishbia stands out as one of the most dynamic entrepreneurs in American finance and sports.

Martin Selig, founder and chairman of Martin Selig Real Estate, is one of Seattle’s most prominent commercial real estate developers, having shaped much of the city’s modern office landscape. Beginning in the 1970s, Selig built a vast portfolio of downtown office towers and mixed-use properties, often taking a contrarian approach by developing during market downturns and holding assets long term. Known for his bold architecture, aggressive expansion, and willingness to challenge conventional real estate cycles, Selig became a defining figure in Pacific Northwest commercial property. His career reflects decades of high-conviction development and enduring influence on Seattle’s urban core.

Markus Persson, known as “Notch,” is the creator of Minecraft, the best-selling video game of all time, which he developed as an independent project before it became a global cultural phenomenon. Launched in 2009, Minecraft’s open-ended, user-driven design attracted hundreds of millions of players and redefined sandbox gaming. In 2014, Persson sold Mojang, the studio behind Minecraft, to Microsoft for $2.5 billion, instantly making him one of the most successful game developers in history. Since then, he has remained largely outside the industry spotlight, becoming a symbol of the rare solo creator who built a generation-defining product.

Mark Walter, cofounder and CEO of Guggenheim Partners, built one of the world’s largest and most diversified global investment firms, overseeing hundreds of billions in assets across insurance, asset management, and advisory services. A former attorney, Walter helped architect Guggenheim’s distinctive structure, combining long-duration insurance capital with alternative and fixed-income strategies. Beyond finance, he is widely known as the controlling owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he led a dramatic turnaround of the franchise, delivering multiple championships and setting new standards for investment in professional sports. Walter’s influence spans global finance, infrastructure, and elite sports ownership.

Mark Stevens, longtime partner at Sequoia Capital and former board member of Nvidia, is one of Silicon Valley’s most influential venture capitalists, known for backing foundational technology companies at critical inflection points. Joining Sequoia in the early 1990s, he helped guide investments in Google, YouTube, LinkedIn, PayPal, and Nvidia, playing an active role in scaling engineering-driven businesses into global leaders. Stevens is particularly associated with Nvidia’s rise, serving on its board for more than a decade as the company evolved into a cornerstone of graphics computing and AI infrastructure. His career reflects Sequoia’s hallmark blend of technical insight, long-term conviction, and quiet but decisive governance.

Mark Rein, vice chairman and cofounder of Epic Games, is one of the most influential executives in the global video game industry, helping build Epic into a powerhouse behind the Unreal Engine and blockbuster franchises like Fortnite. After early roles in game publishing, Rein partnered with Tim Sweeney in the early 1990s, focusing on business development, publishing strategy, and developer relations while Sweeney led technology. Rein played a central role in Unreal Engine’s rise as the dominant game-development platform and in Epic’s challenge to traditional digital distribution models. Known for his outspoken advocacy for developers and platform fairness, he remains a defining figure in interactive entertainment.

Mark Pincus, founder and former CEO of Zynga, was a pioneer of social gaming, turning casual games into a mass-market phenomenon on Facebook and mobile platforms. After early ventures in internet services and venture capital, Pincus launched Zynga in 2007, scaling hits like FarmVille and Words With Friends into a multibillion-dollar business that went public in 2011. Known for his aggressive growth strategies and product experimentation, he later stepped back from daily operations while remaining an active investor and entrepreneur through Reinvent Capital. Pincus continues to influence consumer technology at the intersection of gaming, social interaction, and digital monetization.

Mark Jones, cofounder and chief growth officer of Goosehead Insurance, helped build one of the fastest-growing independent insurance agencies in the United States by reinventing how personal insurance is sold and serviced. After decades in the insurance industry, Jones partnered with his son to launch Goosehead in 2003, combining a tech-enabled platform with a franchise model that scaled rapidly nationwide. The company went public in 2018, rewarding its founders with significant wealth and cementing Goosehead as a disruptor in a traditionally fragmented industry. Known for his entrepreneurial grit and deep industry expertise, Jones remains a driving force behind the firm’s expansion and culture.

Mark Davis, owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, inherited one of the most storied franchises in American sports and reshaped its future through bold, unconventional decisions. The son of legendary Raiders owner Al Davis, he took control of the team in 2011 and later orchestrated its high-profile relocation from Oakland to Las Vegas, securing a state-of-the-art stadium and a new commercial platform for the franchise. Known for his independence, loyalty to the Raiders’ renegade culture, and willingness to challenge league norms, Davis has turned the team into a central pillar of Las Vegas’s professional sports identity.

Mark Cuban, entrepreneur, investor, and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, is one of the most recognizable figures in American business, known for turning bold bets into transformative ventures. After selling Broadcast.com to Yahoo! at the height of the dot-com boom, Cuban built a diversified portfolio spanning sports, media, technology, and healthcare. He later disrupted pharmaceutical pricing through the Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company, applying direct-to-consumer economics to lower drug costs. Outspoken, data-driven, and intensely competitive, Cuban blends venture investing with consumer advocacy, making him a defining personality in modern entrepreneurship.

Mario Gabelli, founder and CEO of GAMCO Investors, is one of Wall Street’s most respected value investors, known for applying fundamental research and private-market valuation techniques to public equities. After beginning his career at Loeb, Rhoades & Co., Gabelli launched GAMCO in 1977 and built a multibillion-dollar asset management firm specializing in value, merger arbitrage, and global equity strategies. His disciplined approach emphasizes cash flow, asset value, and management quality, often coupled with active engagement in corporate governance. Beyond finance, Gabelli is a major philanthropist and art collector, supporting education, cultural institutions, and charitable causes worldwide.

Marcelo Claure, entrepreneur and investor, is best known for building Brightstar into one of the world’s largest wireless distribution companies and for his high-profile leadership roles in global telecommunications. After founding Brightstar in 1997, Claure expanded it into a multibillion-dollar enterprise operating in more than 50 countries, later selling a majority stake to SoftBank. He went on to serve as CEO of Sprint, where he led a multiyear turnaround, and later became chief operating officer of SoftBank Group, overseeing global investments across technology, telecom, and startups. Known for his intense execution style and dealmaking acumen, Claure remains a central figure in international business and private investment.

Marc Rowan, cofounder and CEO of Apollo Global Management, is one of the most influential figures in alternative investing, helping build Apollo into a global powerhouse across private equity, credit, and real assets. After beginning his career at Drexel Burnham Lambert, Rowan co-launched Apollo in 1990, developing its reputation for contrarian investing, distressed opportunities, and disciplined capital allocation. As CEO, he has overseen Apollo’s evolution into a diversified asset manager with a strong emphasis on credit, insurance partnerships, and long-term yield strategies. Known for his analytical rigor and understated leadership, Rowan stands at the center of modern private markets.

Marc Nathanson, cable television pioneer and philanthropist, helped shape the modern media landscape as a founding figure in the early cable industry. As founder of Falcon Cable TV in the 1970s, he built and later sold one of the largest cable operators in the United States, playing a formative role in the expansion of broadband and pay television. Nathanson went on to serve as U.S. ambassador to Norway and became a major force in philanthropy through the Nathanson Family Foundation, supporting education, public health, and cultural institutions. His career reflects a blend of entrepreneurial foresight, public service, and long-term civic impact.

Marc Lasry, cofounder and CEO of Avenue Capital Group, is one of the most recognized figures in distressed-debt investing, building a multibillion-dollar platform focused on undervalued and special-situation assets around the world. After early success at Amroc Investments, Lasry launched Avenue in 1995 with his sister Sonia, developing a global reputation for navigating complex restructurings and capitalizing on market dislocations. Beyond finance, he is known for his high-profile role in professional sports as former co-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, helping oversee the team’s rise to NBA championship status. Lasry’s mix of investment discipline, global perspective, and civic engagement has made him a defining voice in alternative assets.

Marc Andreessen, cofounder of Netscape and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, is one of Silicon Valley’s most influential architects, shaping both the early internet and the modern startup ecosystem. After creating Mosaic, the first widely adopted web browser, and helping launch Netscape, Andreessen turned to investing, backing industry-defining companies across software, crypto, AI, and consumer technology. Through Andreessen Horowitz, he helped institutionalize venture capital as a full-service platform, supporting founders with capital, talent, and strategic insight. Known for his bold technological manifestos and conviction in software’s transformative power, Andreessen remains a central voice in global innovation.

Manoj Bhargava, founder of 5-Hour Energy, built one of the most successful consumer-products businesses of the past two decades by transforming a simple concept—portable, fast-acting energy—into a multibillion-dollar category. A former monk turned entrepreneur, Bhargava grew the brand through relentless distribution, aggressive marketing, and a deep instinct for mass-market demand. After achieving massive commercial success, he shifted much of his focus to philanthropy and problem-solving, funding large-scale projects in clean energy, water purification, and rural development through his Billions in Change initiative. Bhargava remains a rare figure who pairs entrepreneurial boldness with an equally ambitious commitment to global impact.

Lowell Milken, cofounder of Knowledge Universe and a longtime leader in education reform and philanthropy, has built a wide-ranging career focused on improving teaching quality and expanding access to effective learning models. After an early career in law and finance, he helped develop Knowledge Universe into one of the world’s largest private education companies, spanning early childhood learning, professional development, and technology-enabled instruction. As chairman of the Milken Family Foundation, he has created nationally recognized programs such as the Milken Educator Awards and TAP: The System for Teacher and Student Advancement. Known for his strategic vision and commitment to education innovation, Milken is a defining figure in modern philanthropic efforts to strengthen America’s schools.