Hi, I'm Michael de la Maza. I live in Greater Boston.
Academic Work
I serve as Professor of Business Analytics and Machine Learning at Hult International Business School, where our MBA program ranks in the top 20 for entrepreneurship according to Bloomberg Businessweek and holds the #1 spot in the USA for ESG according to the Financial Times.
My research focuses on understanding why high-potential corporate management teams underperform and developing data-driven interventions to optimize their effectiveness.
I hold a PhD in Machine Learning from MIT and am an Amazon bestselling author.
Entrepreneurial Background
My entrepreneurial journey began in the 1990s when I founded three companies, including AnswerFriend, which merged with Electric Knowledge to form Inquira (acquired by Oracle in 2011 for its natural language processing capabilities).
I also served as VP of Corporate Strategy at Softricity, where I worked directly with CEO Harry Ruda on the critical transition from a B2C to a B2B business model, positioning the company for Microsoft's acquisition in 2006.
Investment Portfolio
As founder of Immaculate Conception Ventures since 2011, I've built a portfolio that includes four unicorn investments from seed stage: Astranis, Boom, Rappi, and Relativity Space. My most significant exits include GitPrime and ThriveHive, both delivering 10x returns on invested capital.
Beyond my own fund, I serve as a Techstars mentor and Tiny Capital scout. My current portfolio spans 25+ companies across sectors.
Enterprise Consulting
I'm one of approximately 100 Scrum Alliance Certified Enterprise Coaches worldwide and have guided digital transformations at industry leaders including PayPal, eBay, Visa, Salesforce, State Street, and Symantec.
I've authored Agile Coaching: Wisdom from Practitioners and regularly speak on the intersection of organizational psychology and data science.
Personal Competitive Edge
Outside of academia and investing, I compete as a master's long jumper and currently rank in the top 25 in the USA for my age group.
This athletic pursuit isn't just a hobby, it embodies my approach to business: rigorous data-driven training, calculated risk-taking, and the understanding that peak performance requires both technical precision and the courage to leap when the moment is right. Measure everything, optimize continuously, and never be afraid to jump.