Ratmir Timashev
Ratmir Timashev is a globally recognized entrepreneur and technologist whose work has shaped modern approaches to e-commerce, data protection, and cybersecurity. His innovation philosophy is grounded in the belief that "the most powerful source of energy is human entrepreneurship," a conviction that continues to guide his ventures and philanthropic work.
He is best known as the founder of Veeam Software, the global leader in cloud data security and protection. A serial innovator, Ratmir is also the architect behind OH.io. This first-of-its-kind, category-creating movement positions Columbus as a global technology hub by bringing 100 of the best AI startups to the region and accelerating their go-to-market strategies to define the next frontier of innovation.
Ratmir’s entrepreneurial career began while he was a graduate student at The Ohio State University in 1995. Together with his longtime friend and partner, Andrei Baronov, he launched one of the first online ecommerce platforms before co-founding Aelita Software, which pioneered systems and security management tools used by administrators of Microsoft Windows-based enterprise datacenters worldwide. What began in Ratmir’s campus apartment evolved into a global company, later acquired by Quest Software in 2004. The pair went on to found Veeam Software—one of the world’s most successful data-protection companies and #1 global market share leader—where Ratmir served as CEO and in other executive roles before its acquisition by Insight Partners in 2020.
Today, Ratmir continues to innovate as an advisor to several AI and tech startups. His leadership in enterprise software has been widely recognized: he was named one of CRN Magazine’s Top 25 Innovators of the Year and received the Silver Stevie Award for Executive of the Year – Computer Services.
A lifelong advocate for education, innovation, and regional growth, Ratmir and the Timashev Foundation advance transformative initiatives in science, technology, and the arts. Through its projects worldwide, the Foundation seeks out students with extraordinary potential and provides them with the resources to bring their ideas to life. Among its signature international programs is Technology Leaders of the Future, an initiative that offers emerging innovators fully funded, advanced, and experiential education across campuses in Italy and Cyprus. In 2023, the Foundation made the largest single gift in The Ohio State University’s history, launching The Center for Software Innovation to drive software research and entrepreneurship across the United States.
In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Foundation directed significant support to humanitarian relief efforts, including to José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen, to provide warm meals and food security for displaced families.
Born in Ufa, Russia, Ratmir immigrated to the United States in 1992 and eventually became a U.S. citizen, formally renouncing his Russian citizenship in 2024. He earned his first master’s degree in physics from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT), recognized internationally as one of the world’s foremost centers for scientific and technical education. He later received a Master of Science in Chemical Physics from The Ohio State University. He resides in Connecticut with his wife, Angela, and their children, and also spends significant time in Columbus, Ohio, throughout the year.
Angela Timashev
Angela Timashev is a Co-Founder of the Timashev Foundation. Her philanthropic initiative focuses on contemporary art, theater, and mindfulness-based learning.
Angela supports projects that connect community, place, and purpose,
and she believes in a personal, relationship-driven approach,listening
and tailoring support to each project’s needs.
Thriving in creative environments, Angela has maintained a global philanthropic presence throughout her adult life, supporting artists and institutions around the world. She actively participates in local, regional, and international initiatives, including Art Basel and The Venice Biennale.
Her interests also include organic farming and commitment to spiritual well-being as catalysts for creative growth.
Together with Ratmir they have 3 kids.
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