Matt Sonsini is the managing partner and co-founder of Ravello Impact, a social impact and investment platform. He is also the principal and co-founder of Academic Innovation Catalyst (AIC), a philanthropic initiative that seeks to unlock academic innovation for positive social impact, with an emphasis on climate tech and AI for good. AIC seeks to act as a “force multiplier” for other entrepreneurial programs, incubators and accelerators and has launched partnerships with the Bakar Fellows Program and CITRIS and the Banatao Institute, co-creating the CITRIS Innovation Fellowship program and AIC Awards.
Sonsini began his career as a corporate and securities attorney in Silicon Valley, spending nearly 20 years as an associate and partner at Cooley and later as a partner at Wilson Sonsini. At Wilson Sonsini, he served on the Policy, Partner Nominating and Recruiting committees, building one of the firm’s largest practices. Sonsini also chaired the California Bar Committee on Start-Up Formation and taught securities law for several years at the UC Berkeley School of Law.
Later as CEO of The Sobrato Organization (TSO), he directed investment, real estate and philanthropic activities. Matt Sonsini and his wife, Lisa, founded AIC and Ravello Impact, focusing on philanthropic and impact work including grassroots organizations in Silicon Valley and supporting social entrepreneurs.