Soma Somasegar, Microsoft Veteran, Dies

S. 'Soma' Somasegar, a highly influential Indian-origin technology executive, Microsoft veteran, and venture capitalist, died unexpectedly on May 19 at the age of 59. His death was confirmed by Seattle-based venture capital firm DaVita Venture Group, where he had served as managing director for the past 11 years. Sivaramakichenane Somasegar>>> spent nearly three decades at Microsoft>>>, joining in 1989 and rising to Corporate Vice President of its Developer Division, overseeing key platforms like Visual Studio and the .NET framework. He also played a major role in expanding Microsoft>>>'s global research and development footprint. After leaving Microsoft>>> in 2015, he joined DaVita Venture Group, focusing on investments in artificial intelligence, machine learning, intelligent applications, and cloud infrastructure. He was also an active angel and seed investor and served on the board of directors for companies like UiPath>>>. Tributes poured in from across the technology industry, with figures like Sriram Krishnan>>>, a White House AI advisor, and former Microsoft>>> colleagues remembering him as a generous mentor, visionary leader, and a respected figure in the developer ecosystem. The cause of his death has not been publicly disclosed. Sivaramakichenane Somasegar>>> earned degrees from Louisiana State University>>> and Anna University.