Forging Paths for Engineer-Entrepreneurs: An Interview with DataForge’s CEO Mattew Kosovec
Matthew Kosovec, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of DataForge, encountered a career trajectory that would allow him to leverage his double bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and finance. After landing an internship at a finance consulting firm that looked for tech-savvy people who were proficient in finance, he set up a career plan that would allow him to leverage his interest in engineering and finance.
En route to becoming an entrepreneur, Kosovec joined a niche industry of private equity, transaction advisory, allowing him to pursue something interesting and high-growth. This experience allowed him to work with people who have run successful companies of their own, from whom he would learn the ins and outs of running an organization. “I saw it as a fantastic way to build my own skill set and understand more about how I could run my own business in the future,” he said. “I was able to the company I joined had both the opportunity to build my technical skills, which then I was able to leverage and move into that private equity advisory space to then begin the rounds of seeing hundreds and hundreds of companies, which then allowed me to have the right skill foundation, to then have confidence to say that I have enough foundation to start my own business.”
Kosovec highlighted the importance of his career experiences in navigating his stint as a startup CEO. He attributes his leadership success to a combination of foundational education and extensive experience in managing large, complex projects in technology consulting. He emphasizes that while education provides the groundwork, it is the hands-on experience of running diverse projects and dealing with unexpected challenges that truly shape effective leadership. Mentorship also adds to how he would handle crises as a CEO. “What to be an executive means is making decisions and dealing with crisis, so and your ability to do those two things has to be founded in mentorship from other people, helping you learn how to do those things, seeing a lot of failures, seeing a lot of ways that go wrong, and then using that as your baseline to make those decisions,” he said
At DataForge, Kosovec’s leadership philosophy is deeply rooted in future growth and a shared vision. He describes himself as a "hyper open CEO," emphasizing the importance of accessibility within the organization: "Every single person in any organization, no matter how big, should have access to every other person." He believes in demystifying leadership by reminding everyone that "everyone is just people," including successful executives who "trip and fall down the stairs" and "have their own problems." This perspective encourages open communication and reduces the intimidation experienced by younger employees. He also outlines the value of mentorship and investing in individuals, even if it means short-term disruptions. “You're growing this person. We're investing in them as an individual, and they're going to grow into someone that then will be more valuable,” he stated.
Kosovec advises undergraduate students in data engineering to gain practical experience by working on real projects and emphasizes the importance of networking. He suggests, "Find a mock project, find a mock challenge of some type," and use cloud environments like AWS or Azure to build something tangible. He acknowledges that initial attempts may be difficult, but argues, "If you can walk into an internship interview saying, 'I threw together this thing,' and show what you built, it is 1000 times more valuable than answering specific technical questions." He also highlights the importance of mentorship and networking, advising students to "find one experienced data engineer or developer" to ask questions and check in with regularly. "There are 1000 people out there who would be willing to help you," he said, emphasizing the value of building a network of supportive professionals to guide them through their career.