Weili Dai

Weili Dai
Born	Shanghai, China
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, technology executive
Known for	Co-founder and former president of Marvell Technology Group

Weili Dai () is a Chinese-American entrepreneur, recognized as the co-founder and former president of Marvell Technology Group. She holds the distinction of being the sole female co-founder within a leading semiconductor enterprise and was ranked 95th among the wealthiest women worldwide by Forbes in 2015, with her net worth estimated at US$1.3 billion as of June 2024.

Early life

Originating from Shanghai, China, Dai engaged in semi-professional basketball before relocating to the United States at age 17. She earned a bachelor's degree in computer science from the University of California, Berkeley.

Career

Dai’s professional journey started in software development and project management at Canon Research Center America. In 1995, alongside her husband Sehat Sutardja, she co-established Marvell Technology, steering its evolution into a prominent semiconductor company. Within Marvell, Dai concentrated on forming strategic alliances and marketing technologies across various sectors. She also advocated for increased technological accessibility in developing nations and acted as a liaison fostering relations between the US and China.

Throughout her tenure at Marvell, Dai occupied several senior positions including chief operating officer, executive vice president, general manager of the Communications Business Group, corporate secretary, and board director. She was instrumental in advancing programs like One Laptop Per Child and actively supported initiatives encouraging women’s participation in STEM disciplines.

Dai contributes to the board of the humanitarian group Give2Asia and was appointed to a committee representing Chinese American interests. The Sutardja Dai Hall at UC Berkeley—named in honor of Dai and her husband—hosts the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS). In 2015, she joined the board of the Global Semiconductor Alliance and serves on TechNet’s executive committee.

In 2018, Dai co-launched 'MeetKai,' a digital media enterprise specializing in artificial intelligence and metaverse innovation, which became the "Official AI Partner" of the Los Angeles Chargers. In 2021, she partnered with Sehat Sutardja and Byung Joon Han to found Silicon Box, a Singapore-based semiconductor firm focused on chiplet packaging technology. Silicon Box inaugurated a $2 billion manufacturing facility in Tampines in 2023 aimed primarily at producing chiplets for AI applications.

After her husband’s passing in 2024, Dai inherited his shares in Alphawave IP Group and temporarily joined its board. By June 2025, her stake was valued at $237 million when Qualcomm announced plans to acquire Alphawave.

Awards

Dai was recognized by Newsweek as one of the "150 Women Who Shake the World." She featured in CNN International's Leading Women Innovator Series and earned the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2004. On May 12, 2012, she made history as UC Berkeley College of Engineering’s first female commencement speaker. That year, Forbes included her among "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women," and she received an accolade from Upwardly Global.

In March 2013, she was honored with the Silicon Valley Entrepreneur of the Year Award by the Chinese Institute of Engineers/USA-San Francisco Bay Area Chapter. Forbes ranked her No. 88 on its "The World's Most Powerful Women" list in May 2013; that June she was named among the Most Influential Women in Embedded Technology. Later that year, Dai received multiple distinctions including the New Silk Road Award from the California-Asia Business Council, the Gold Stevie Award for Woman of the Year – Technology, and together with co-founder Dr. Sehat Sutardja, the 2013 Dr. Morris Chang Exemplary Leadership Award from the Global Semiconductor Alliance.

Her accolades continued into 2014 with another appearance on Forbes' most powerful women list, a Gold award for "Best Woman Professional of the Year" at the Golden Bridge Awards, an additional Stevie award, and recognition with a Women World award. In 2015, marking her fourth consecutive year on Forbes' "The World's Most Powerful Women" list at No. 95, she also secured a Gold honor for "Technology Executive of the Year" from International Best in Biz Awards and was celebrated as a "Keeper of the American Dream" by The National Immigration Forum and its Action Fund.

Controversies

In 2008, the company along with its then-Chief Operating Officer, Weili Dai—who was the only participant on the stock option "committee" at that time—were required to pay penalties of $10 million and $500,000 respectively to the Securities and Exchange Commission. These sanctions were related to allegations of improper backdating of stock option grants. Following this, Dai was compelled to step down from her roles as executive vice president, COO, and board member, although she continued her association with the firm in a non-executive capacity.

In 2016, both Dai and her spouse, Sehat Sutardja, were removed from Marvell Technology Group, the enterprise they had established together. This action came after an investigation into suspected accounting discrepancies. Although no fraudulent activity was confirmed, the probe uncovered intense managerial pressure to achieve revenue objectives, deficiencies in internal control systems, and instances of recognizing revenue prematurely.

Personal life

Weili Dai wed Sehat Sutardja in 1985, and the couple has two sons. Following their exit from Marvell amid a contentious takeover battle, they moved their residence to Las Vegas, Nevada. Sehat Sutardja died on September 18, 2024.

External links

• An interview with Rory Moore of CommNexus, recorded at CTIA 2010
• Pink Magazine interview, June 2009