David Siegel

David Siegel

Co-Chairman, Two Sigma Investments

David Siegel is a computer scientist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is co-founder and co-chair of Two Sigma Investments, LP.

Inspired by movies like “2001: A Space Odyssey,” Siegel was drawn to the nascent field of computer science at a young age, quickly developing a deep interest in programming. By the mid-1970s, at age 12, he was building memory and logic boards and learning to program a supercomputer at New York University's Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences. As a freshman in high school, he also taught a programming course to high school students at an NYU summer program.

This early interest in computers sparked a life-long passion for building intelligent computational systems, reflecting a lasting belief in technology's potential to improve virtually every human endeavor.

After graduating from Princeton, Siegel received a Ph.D. in computer science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he conducted research at the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. Siegel went on to co-found Two Sigma, an algorithmic investment manager that applies cutting-edge technology to the data-rich world of finance.

Siegel's philanthropic efforts underscore his continuing belief in the power and promise of science and technology. Computational thinking, in Siegel's view, is a powerful way of approaching complex problems and represents a new kind of literacy – a vibrant mode of expression that becomes more relevant with every passing year.

As such, Siegel currently sits on the board of several leading organizations at the intersection of technology and creativity, including the MIT Corporation, Cornell Tech, Carnegie Hall, the Scratch Foundation (which he co-founded), and Stanford's Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society.

Siegel, Two Sigma, and Siegel Family Endowment have all supported FIRST in New York City in a variety of ways since 2008. Siegel serves as co-chair of the NYC FIRST Board, and he served on the inaugural “FIRST, Inspire” Gala Committee in 2015, was an honoree in 2016, and is chairing the 2017 Gala Committee. Siegel’s daughter participates on a FIRST® LEGO® League team.