The Seattle-based venture capital firm confirmed his death on Tuesday, May 19, calling him a leader whose “brilliance and generous spirit” greatly influenced colleagues, entrepreneurs, and developers.
Madrona stated that Somasegar’s passing was unexpected, although the specific cause of death has not been disclosed.
Who was Soma Somasegar?
Born in Puducherry, Somasegar enjoyed a remarkable career that spanned nearly 30 years in the technology field.
He joined Microsoft in 1989 and spent almost 27 years with the company, playing a role in eight Windows releases, including the Windows NT operating system.
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Throughout his tenure, he ascended to the position of Corporate Vice President of Microsoft’s Developer Division, where he oversaw significant platforms such as Visual Studio and the .NET framework, according to NDTV.
He also contributed to the company’s advancement in open-source server technologies and cloud-based developer environments.
Somasegar was instrumental in expanding Microsoft’s global research and development footprint beyond the United States, fostering growth initiatives in Hyderabad, China, Israel, and Boston.
Somasegar after Microsoft
Following his departure from Microsoft in 2015, he joined Madrona Venture Group as managing director, focusing on investments in artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud infrastructure, and enterprise technology.
Additionally, he was an active angel investor in startups both in the US and internationally.
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Somasegar earned a bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Anna University and a master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Louisiana State University.
Anna University later honored him with an honorary doctorate, and he received the Asian American Engineer of the Year Award in 2008.
Tributes from across Silicon Valley
Technology leaders and former colleagues fondly remembered Somasegar as a mentor who significantly impacted numerous careers.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella expressed that the loss felt “very personal,” emphasizing Somasegar’s impact on the company’s developer ecosystem, as reported by Moneycontrol.
Chennai-born entrepreneur and US President Donald Trump’s AI advisor Sriram Krishnan noted on X (formerly Twitter): “It’s hard to articulate how much of an impact Soma had on @aarthir and me.”
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Former Microsoft executive Steven Sinofsky also paid his respects, stating: “His contributions to Microsoft and culture were as legendary as the admiration and respect he earned from generations of the Softies he guided and led. Om Shanti, Soma.”
Somasegar is survived by his wife and two daughters, according to HT.
