David Siegel

David Siegel holds a PhD in computer science from MIT. He worked at Tudor Investment Corp and as a professor at Cornell before co-founding Two Sigma Investments in 2001 with John Overdeck and Mark Pickard. Two Sigma was founded on the thesis that advances in machine learning, big data, and computing power could provide sustained edge in financial markets. The firm hired computer scientists, mathematicians, and physicists to apply cutting-edge ML techniques to financial time series analysis, treating markets as a scientific data problem rather than a business intuition problem. Two Sigma's approach differed from earlier quant firms like Renaissance in its explicit embrace of machine learning and deep learning methodologies, which it applied well before these became mainstream in the broader technology industry. The firm grew to manage approximately $60 billion across multiple strategies spanning global equities, futures, commodities, credit, and volatility. Two Sigma's culture as a technology firm — with flat hierarchies, engineering-driven decision-making, and heavy investment in research infrastructure — influenced the broader convergence between technology companies and quantitative finance. Siegel is also a co-founder of Hammer Capital and has made substantial personal investments in technology companies. Two Sigma has also built a significant business in financial technology through Two Sigma Securities.