Nathaniel Dourif Friedman oversaw the $7.5 billion acquisition of GitHub by Microsoft before assuming the role of CEO in October 2018. His professional trajectory spans foundational open-source development, mobile infrastructure, and the expansion of large language model interfaces, marking a shift from early Linux-based projects to high-level corporate product strategy and venture capital investment in artificial intelligence.
Early Development and Ximian
A graduate of St. Anne's-Belfield School in 1995, Friedman enrolled at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he studied mathematics and computer science. While an undergraduate, he established LinuxNet, an IRC network where he connected with Miguel de Icaza. The pair co-founded Ximian in 1999 to build applications for the GNOME project. The company was subsequently sold to Novell in 2003, where Friedman served as Chief Technology and Strategy Officer for Open Source until 2010. During this period, he facilitated the migration of 6,000 internal staff to SUSE Linux and oversaw the Hula Project and SUSE Studio.
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Friedman and de Icaza launched Xamarin in 2011 to provide commercial support for the Mono project, an implementation of the .NET software stack. The company developed the Xamarin SDK to assist programmers targeting mobile devices and game consoles. Microsoft acquired Xamarin in 2016. Friedman then joined Microsoft as a corporate vice president, eventually replacing Chris Wanstrath as CEO of GitHub in late 2018. His leadership included the launch of GitHub Copilot, Codespaces, GitHub Sponsors, and a native mobile application, while overseeing the acquisition of six entities, including NPM and Dependabot.
AI Investment and Recent Roles
Since stepping down as CEO of GitHub in 2021, Friedman has focused on artificial intelligence. Alongside Daniel Gross, he manages C2 Investments and an AI grant program offering funding and Microsoft Azure credits. In 2023, he released nat.dev, an interface for large language models. During the Silicon Valley Bank crisis in March 2023, he provided capital to various startups. In June 2025, Friedman joined Meta Platforms to co-lead the Meta Superintelligence Labs with Alexandr Wang, focusing on applied AI research and product development. Outside of technology, he co-founded California YIMBY in 2017.
Fast facts
- Born: 6 August 1977
- Education: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1999
- GitHub CEO term: 2018–2021
- Co-founded Ximian: 1999
- Co-founded Xamarin: 2011
- Joined Meta Platforms: 2025
- Residence: Menlo Park, California
- Spouse: Stephanie Friedman
Questions readers ask
What is nat.dev?
It is a web interface for large language models that Friedman created in 2023.
Where does Nat Friedman work currently?
As of June 2025, he co-leads the Meta Superintelligence Labs at Meta Platforms.
Achievements
- Affiliated with GitHub and Xamarin
- Educated at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and St. Anne's-Belfield School
- Worked as computer scientist, engineer and programmer
