Michael Widenius

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Michael Widenius, also known as Monty, is a Finnish software programmer born on March 3, 1962, in Helsinki. He created MySQL, the popular open-source database, and helped start MySQL AB. He later helped create MariaDB and the MariaDB Foundation, and serves as CTO of MariaDB while also being a general partner at the venture capital firm OpenOcean.

Key points about his life and work:
- Early career: He studied at Helsinki University of Technology but left. In 1985 he co-founded TCX DataKonsult AB. In 1995 he began writing the first version of MySQL with David Axmark; the software was released in 1996. He also co-authored the MySQL Reference Manual (2002).
- MySQL AB to Sun: MySQL AB was sold to Sun Microsystems in January 2008. Widenius earned about €16.6 million in capital gains that year and remained a major figure in MySQL’s development after the sale.
- OpenOcean and moving on: After Sun, he helped start OpenOcean, a venture capital firm, with Patrik Backman. He left Sun in February 2009 to start his own company. In December 2009 he urged customers to lobby the European Commission to scrutinize Oracle’s acquisition of Sun in the “Save MySQL” campaign.
- MariaDB and the Open Database Alliance: After leaving Sun, he launched Monty Program AB and forked MySQL into MariaDB, named after his daughter Maria. MariaDB includes community patches and plugins. Monty Program later merged with SkySQL, which became MariaDB Corporation. In 2012 he helped found the MariaDB Foundation to support the project. In 2009, the Open Database Alliance (ODBA) was formed by Monty Program and Percona to promote MariaDB.
- Awards and recognition: Widenius was named Finnish Software Entrepreneur of the Year in 2003, received the Open World Hero award in 2014, and was listed as one of Finland’s most influential technology experts by Tekniikan Akateemiset TEK in 2016.
- Personal life: He lives in Kauniainen, Finland with his wife Anna and his daughter Maria. He has three children—My, Max, and Maria—the names that inspired MySQL, MaxDB, and MariaDB. His personal site is monty-says.blogspot.com.