Matt Salzberg

Matt Salzberg
Name	Matt Salzberg
Alma mater	Duke University; Stanford University
Occupation	Entrepreneur; Investor; Board member
Known for	Co-founder of Blue Apron; Co-founder of Plated; Partner at Emerson Collective

Matt Salzberg is an American entrepreneur and investor known for co-founding meal-kit company Blue Apron and culinary subscription service Plated, and for later roles in venture capital and philanthropy. He has been active in startup incubation, board governance, and public advocacy related to technology and food systems. Salzberg's career spans entrepreneurship, corporate leadership, and investment across the United States and internationally.

Early life and education

Salzberg attended Duke University where he was involved in campus organizations and pursued undergraduate studies before earning an MBA at Stanford Graduate School of Business. During his time at Duke University and Stanford University he engaged with alumni networks connected to Silicon Valley, Harvard Business School alumni events, and industry groups that included members from McKinsey & Company, Bain & Company, and The Boston Consulting Group. His education placed him alongside cohorts who later worked at Amazon (company), Google, Facebook, Apple Inc., and Microsoft.

Career

After graduate school Salzberg entered the startup ecosystem, joining early-stage ventures and engaging with incubators like Y Combinator and investment communities such as Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Kleiner Perkins, and Benchmark (venture capital firm). He built operational experience with teams that interfaced with logistics providers including United Parcel Service, FedEx, and retail partners such as Costco, Walmart, and Whole Foods Market. Salzberg's professional network extended to executives from Uber Technologies, Lyft, Grubhub, DoorDash, and legacy food companies like Kraft Heinz Company and General Mills.

Blue Apron and entrepreneurship

Salzberg co-founded Blue Apron alongside co-founders who brought together talent from culinary, technology, and supply chain backgrounds. Blue Apron scaled into a national meal-kit business competing with firms such as HelloFresh, Sun Basket, and Home Chef while negotiating retail partnerships with Walmart, Kroger, and Costco Wholesale Corporation. The company raised capital involving investors like Bessemer Venture Partners, Battery Ventures, and private equity groups connected to Silver Lake Partners and KKR. During this period Salzberg worked with advisers and executives who had backgrounds at Bloomberg L.P., Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, and Citigroup. Blue Apron's growth intersected with regulatory and market developments involving entities such as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, and industry associations like the National Restaurant Association.

Salzberg's entrepreneurial activity also included founding Plated, a subscription meal service that was acquired by Albertsons Companies, which operates chains including Safeway and Vons. Plated's acquisition reflected broader consolidation trends involving Ahold Delhaize, Publix, and Aldi. Throughout these ventures Salzberg collaborated with chefs, supply-chain experts, and investors connected to Blue Bottle Coffee, Starbucks Corporation, Chipotle Mexican Grill, and culinary institutes such as the Culinary Institute of America.

Investment and board roles

Following operational leadership Salzberg transitioned into investment and board service, joining boards and advising startups across foodtech, logistics, and software. He has been associated with investment organizations and philanthropic investment vehicles including Emerson Collective, GV (company), Founders Fund, Accel Partners, and family offices linked to Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg. Salzberg's board engagements involved companies in categories represented by Instacart, Blue Yonder (software), Toast, Inc., Shopify, Square (company), and Salesforce. He has participated in governance with nonprofit and educational institutions such as The Rockefeller Foundation, The Aspen Institute, Brookings Institution, and university advisory boards connected to Stanford University and Duke University.

Philanthropy and public positions

Salzberg has engaged in philanthropic initiatives and public policy conversations about food systems, startup regulation, and workforce development. He has interacted with policy forums and organizations such as The White House, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, and advocacy groups including Feeding America and The Nature Conservancy. His philanthropic work has brought him into contact with foundations like the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and The Rockefeller Foundation. Salzberg has contributed to dialogues alongside leaders from National Academy of Sciences, World Resources Institute, United Nations, and think tanks such as the Council on Foreign Relations.

Personal life

Salzberg resides in the United States and maintains connections to communities in New York City, San Francisco, and the Boston area. His personal networks include entrepreneurs and executives from Silicon Valley, Wall Street, and the technology sectors represented by Nvidia Corporation, Intel Corporation, IBM, and Oracle Corporation. He participates in philanthropic and civic events alongside peers from Harvard University, Yale University, Columbia University, and arts institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Category:American entrepreneurs