{{promo|date=March 2026}} {{short description|Chinese-born American businesswoman|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{family name hatnote|Dai | lang=Chinese}} {{Infobox person | name = Weili Dai | image = FINAL FT5A3798.jpg | image_size = | caption = | birth_name = Weili Dai (戴伟立) | birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date |55|2017|03|17}}<ref name=Forbes15 /> | birth_place = Shanghai, China | death_date = | death_place = | education = University of California, Berkeley | occupation = Businesswoman | title = {{unbulleted list|Co-founder and former president of Marvell Technology|Co-founder of Silicon Box}} | term = | predecessor = | successor = | known_for = | boards = | spouse = {{marriage|Sehat Sutardja|1985|2024|reason=died}} | parents = | children = 2 | relatives = | website = }}
'''Weili Dai''' ({{lang-zh | t=戴偉立 | s=戴伟立 | p=Dài Wěilì}}) is a Chinese-born American businesswoman. She is the co-founder, former director and former president of Marvell Technology Group. Dai is a successful entrepreneur,<ref>{{cite web|last=Warren|first=Christina |title= Women in Tech: How One Entrepreneur Blazed a Trail |date=21 March 2012 |url= http://mashable.com/2012/03/21/weili-dai-women-tech-entrepreneurs/ |publisher=Mashable|access-date=April 23, 2012}}</ref> and the only female co-founder of a major semiconductor company.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://edition.cnn.com/2012/03/07/business/weili-dai-women-geeks/index.html |title=Women! Embrace your inner geek |work= CNN |quote=only female co-founder of a global semiconductor company in the world.|access-date=12 November 2012 |date=20 March 2012}}</ref> In 2015, she was listed as the 95th richest woman in the world by ''Forbes''.<ref name="Forbes15">{{cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2016/12/01/ousted-marvell-founders-invest-in-las-vegas-condos.html|title=Ousted Marvell founders invest in Las Vegas condos after moving there|work=Forbes|access-date=26 May 2015}}</ref> Her estimated net worth is US$1.3 billion, as of June 2024.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/weili-dai/ |work=Forbes|title=Weili Dai}}</ref>
== Early life == Weili Dai was born in Shanghai, China, where she played semi-professional basketball before moving to the U.S. at the age of 17.<ref name=Forbes15 /> She has a bachelor's degree in computer science from the University of California, Berkeley.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.committee100.org/media/articles/Forbes-notable-chinese.pdf|work=Forbes|title=25 Notable Chinese-Americans|access-date=2017-03-14|archive-date=2016-03-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303233546/http://www.committee100.org/media/articles/Forbes-notable-chinese.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== Career == Dai was involved in software development and project management at Canon Research Center America, Inc. Dai co-founded the American semiconductor company Marvell in 1995 with her husband Sehat Sutardja and his brother.<ref>{{cite news|last=Herel|first=Suzanne|title=Meet the Boss: Weili Dai, Marvell Technology Group|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/06/05/BUE71JKU8C.DTL|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609010238/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/06/05/BUE71JKU8C.DTL|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 9, 2011|publisher=San Francisco Chronicle|access-date=2 May 2012|date=6 June 2011}}</ref> While at Marvell, Dai worked on strategic partnerships,<ref>{{cite web|last=Stone Rabinowicz|first=Zara|title=Seven Top Ladies In Tech Over 50|work=Chip Chick|date=29 March 2012|url=http://www.chipchick.com/2012/03/top-ladies-tech-50.html|access-date=April 23, 2012|archive-date=3 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120503082654/http://www.chipchick.com/2012/03/top-ladies-tech-50.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> and marketed Marvell's technology for use in products across several markets.<ref>{{cite web|last=Dishman|first=Lydia|title=Innovation Agents: Marvell Technology Group's Weili Dai, Semiconductor Pioneer|url=http://www.fastcompany.com/1834893/innovation-agents-weili-dai-marvell-semiconductors|publisher=Fast Company|access-date=2 May 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Goudreau|first=Jenna|title=With Bartz Out, Marvell's Weili Dai Pushes Women In Tech|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2011/09/13/bartz-out-yahoo-marvell-weili-dai-women-in-tech-xerox-apple-cisco/|work=Forbes|access-date=April 23, 2012|date=13 September 2011}}</ref> Dai also works to increase access to technology in the developing world<ref>{{cite web|last=Dignan|first=Larry|title=Marvell co-founder talks technology in education, R&D|url=http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/smart-takes/marvell-co-founder-talks-technology-in-education-r-d/11372|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130202102610/http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/smart-takes/marvell-co-founder-talks-technology-in-education-r-d/11372|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 2, 2013|publisher=Smart Planet|access-date=2 May 2012}}</ref> and served as an ambassador of opportunity between the US and China.<ref>{{cite news|last=Flannery|first=Russ|title=Marvell Technology's Mobile Connector|url=https://www.forbes.com/global/2010/0809/notable-chinese-americans-weili-dai-john-chen-mobile-connector.html|publisher=Forbes Asia Magazine|access-date=2 May 2012}}</ref> Dai served as chief operating officer, executive vice president, and general manager of the Communications Business Group at Marvell. She was corporate secretary of the board, and a director of the board at Marvell Technology Group Ltd.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://investor.marvell.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=120802&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2154191|title=Marvell – Company – Investor Relations – News Release|website=Investor.marvell.com|access-date=13 March 2017}}</ref>
Dai promoted partnership with the One Laptop Per Child program (OLPC) and women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/27/world/europe/how-to-get-girls/index.html|title=How to get girls into STEM -- The experts speak |author=Phoebe Parke|website=Cnn.com|access-date=13 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Kucera|first=Danielle|title=Technology Industry's Gender Gap Seen Hampering Competitiveness|url=http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-09-17/technology-industry-s-gender-gap-seen-hampering-competitiveness.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110924051250/http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-09-17/technology-industry-s-gender-gap-seen-hampering-competitiveness.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 24, 2011|publisher=Bloomberg BusinessWeek|access-date=2 May 2012}}</ref>
She sits on the board of the disaster relief organization, Give2Asia, and was named to a committee of 100 representing the Chinese Americans. The Sutardja Dai Hall at her alma mater, UC Berkeley, was named for Dai along with her husband Sehat Sutardja, CEO of Marvell and Pantas Sutardja, CTO of Marvell. Sutardja Dai Hall is home to the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS). In 2015, Dai was named to the Global Semiconductor Alliance's (GSA) board of directors,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marvell.com/company/news/pressDetail.do?releaseID=6856|title=Marvell – Company – Newsroom – GSA Appoints Ms. Weili Dai, President and Co-Founder of Marvell, to GSA Board|website=Marvell.com|access-date=13 March 2017}}</ref> Dai is a member of the executive committee for TechNet.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.technet.org/leaders/executive-council/|title=Executive Council |website=TechNet.org|access-date=13 March 2017}}</ref>
Dai co-founded the startup 'MeetKai' in 2018, which is focused on digital media technology (artificial intelligence/metaverse) and as the "Official AI Partner" of the Los Angeles Chargers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Weili Dai |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/weili-dai/ |access-date=2022-12-14 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref>
In 2021, together with her husband Sehat Sutardja and business partner Byung Joon Han, she founded Silicon Box, a Singapore-based semiconductor company that focuses on the design and manufacture of chiplet packaging. The venture-backed company opened a $2{{nbsp}}billion facility in Tampines in 2023 to produce chiplets for their customers primarily in the artificial intelligence domain.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wang |first=Catherine |date=16 February 2024 |title=Chipping In: Billionaire-Founded Unicorn Startup Makes Semiconductor 'Chiplets' For The AI Boom |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/catherinewang/2024/02/16/chipping-in-billionaire-founded-unicorn-startup-makes-semiconductor-chiplets-for-the-ai-boom/ |work=Forbes |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240216145250/https://www.forbes.com/sites/catherinewang/2024/02/16/chipping-in-billionaire-founded-unicorn-startup-makes-semiconductor-chiplets-for-the-ai-boom/ |archive-date=16 February 2024 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Chong |first=Claudia |date=9 January 2024 |title=Singapore chip start-up Silicon Box turns unicorn, hitting US$1 billion in valuation |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/business/singapore-chip-start-up-silicon-box-turns-unicorn-hitting-us1-billion-in-valuation |work=The Straits Times}}</ref>
Upon her husband Sutarja's death in 2024, Dai inherited his stake in Alphawave IP Group and joined its board of directors on an interim basis. Her stake was valued at $237 million in June 2025, when Qualcomm announced it would acquire the company.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Pacheco |first1=Filipe |last2=Yeung |first2=Pui Gwen |date=18 June 2025 |title=Billionaire Dai to Reap $237 Million Windfall From Qualcomm Deal |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-06-18/billionaire-dai-to-reap-237-million-windfall-from-qualcomm-deal |publisher=Bloomberg News}}</ref>
== Controversies == In 2008, the company and its then chief operating officer–and the only member of its stock option "committee" during the period in question – Weili Dai paid fines,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.siliconbeat.com/2008/05/08/marvell-and-ex-coo-pay-fines-over-backdating-charges/ |title=Marvell and ex-COO pay fines over backdating charges |website=Siliconbeat.com |date=2008-05-08 |access-date=2017-03-14 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> to the Securities and Exchange Commission over charges of false financial information to investors by improperly backdating stock option grants to employees, totaling $10 million and $500,000 respectively. Dai was forced to step down as executive vice president, chief operating officer, and a director but allowed to continue with the company in a non-management position.<ref>{{Cite news |title= Marvell CFO Resigns amid Options Probe: Microchip maker discloses a pre-tax charge of as much as $350 million |work= CFO Magazine |date= May 7, 2007 |author= Alan Rappeport |url= http://www.cfo.com/article.cfm/9138321 |access-date=August 24, 2013 }}</ref>
In 2016, Dai and her husband, Sehat Sutardja, were ousted from Marvell Technology Group, the company they had co-founded, after months-long investigation on a potential accounting fraud. The investigation found no fraud; however, it found that there were significant pressures from management to meet revenue targets and that internal controls were not fully followed and some revenues were booked prematurely early.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-04-07|title=The shocking fall of Marvell's Weili Dai, long hailed as a role model for women in Silicon Valley|url=https://venturebeat.com/2016/04/07/the-shocking-fall-of-marvells-weili-dai-long-hailed-as-a-role-model-for-women-in-silicon-valley/|access-date=2021-04-11|website=VentureBeat|language=en-US}}</ref>
== Personal life == Dai married Sehat Sutardja in 1985, and have two sons.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.sfgate.com/business/meettheboss/article/meet-the-boss-weili-dai-marvell-technology-group-2369284.php |title=Meet the Boss: Weili Dai, Marvell Technology Group |date=June 6, 2011 |website=SFGate |last=Herel |first=Suzanne}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=April 7, 2010 |title=Lessons in family, business success |url=https://archive.shine.cn/feature/Lessons-in-family-business-success/shdaily.shtml |publisher=Shanghai Daily}}</ref> They moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, after being dismissed from Marvell by hostile takeover.<ref name=Forbes15 /> Her husband died on September 18, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/marvell-technologys-billionaire-co-founder-sehat-sutardja-has-died-009bf369 |title=Marvell Technology's billionaire co-founder, Sehat Sutardja, has died |date=September 18, 2024 |website=MarketWatch |last=Goss |first=Louis}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist|30em}}
== External links == * [http://vimeo.com/10412465 An interview with Rory Moore] of CommNexus, from CTIA 2010 * [http://www.pinkmagazine.com/little_pink_book/2009/june/03_dai_profile.html Pink Magazine interview], June 2009
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Dai, Weili}} Category:Living people Category:American businesspeople in the computer industry Category:American chief executives in technology Category:American technology company founders Category:American women company founders Category:American company founders Category:American women chief executives Category:American women computer scientists Category:American billionaires Category:American computer scientists Category:Businesspeople from Shanghai Category:Chinese emigrants to the United States Category:Members of the Committee of 100 Category:Scientists from Shanghai Category:Semiconductors Category:UC Berkeley College of Engineering alumni Category:Women corporate executives Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:21st-century American women Category:American female billionaires