Emma Qian is an accomplished AI researcher, entrepreneur, and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree leading the transformation of enterprise software through agentic artificial intelligence. As Co-Founder and CEO of Nova Intelligence, she is building the premier AI platform for SAP custom code modernization, backed by SAP and leading Silicon Valley investors including Accel and Conviction.
Emma's technical foundation was forged at the highest levels of AI research. As a Research Engineer at Google DeepMind—one of the world's most prestigious AI research organizations—she contributed to cutting-edge developments in artificial intelligence and machine learning. Prior to DeepMind, she served as a Software Engineer at Facebook AI (now Meta AI), working on advanced AI systems that power products used by billions globally.
This experience at two of the world's premier AI research organizations provided Emma with deep expertise in the latest machine learning techniques, large language models, and AI systems—knowledge she now applies to solving enterprise transformation challenges at Nova Intelligence.
Before Nova Intelligence, Emma co-founded Multi, a foundation model and model orchestration platform that raised $10 million in venture funding. This experience building AI infrastructure and attracting significant capital from top-tier investors demonstrated her ability to identify market opportunities and execute on ambitious technical visions.
Her track record of raising substantial funding—and now leading Nova Intelligence with backing from SAP and premier Silicon Valley investors—reflects the confidence the investment community has in her vision, technical capabilities, and leadership.
Emma earned her Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), one of the world's most selective and rigorous technical institutions. She also studied as an exchange student in Computer Science at the University of Cambridge, gaining international perspective on computer science research and education.
Emma's technical prowess has been recognized through numerous competitive achievements:
Her inclusion in Forbes 30 Under 30 further validates her impact as a young leader reshaping the intersection of artificial intelligence and enterprise software.
At Nova Intelligence, Emma leads a team building the first multi-agent AI system for SAP Clean Core modernization. Her unique combination of world-class AI research experience, entrepreneurial success, fundraising capability, and technical depth positions her as a transformative leader in the enterprise AI space.
Emma's vision extends beyond incremental improvement—she is fundamentally reimagining how enterprises approach SAP transformation through intelligent automation, delivering over 50% cost savings and 60% faster timelines while ensuring Clean Core and SAP Public Cloud readiness.
Based in San Francisco, Emma is actively building Nova Intelligence's team and working with enterprise customers to revolutionize SAP modernization through agentic AI.
