San Francisco, CA – The San Francisco Unicorns have unveiled an all-star cast of investors from Silicon Valley and Hollywood ahead of their third full season in Cognizant Major League Cricket (MLC), underscoring cricket’s fast-growing influence in the Bay Area.
The investor group features high-profile tech leaders and celebrities, including Shantanu Narayen (Chairman & CEO, Adobe), Neal Mohan (CEO, YouTube), Divesh Makan (Founder & CEO, ICONIQ Capital), and Kunal Nayyar (Actor, The Big Bang Theory), all unified by a passion for cricket and a vision to grow the sport across the U.S.
Unicorns’ investor roster reflects elite business and entertainment leadership
The full list of new and existing investors includes:
- Shantanu Narayen – Chairman & CEO, Adobe
- Neal Mohan – CEO, YouTube
- Divesh Makan – Founder & CEO, ICONIQ Capital
- Kunal Nayyar – Actor, The Big Bang Theory
- Aditya Agarwal – Former CTO, Dropbox
- Neeraj Arora – Former Chief Business Officer, WhatsApp
- Kashyap Deorah – Founder & CEO, HyperTrack
- Venky Ganesan – Managing Director, Menlo Ventures
- Schwark Satyavolu – General Partner, Trinity Ventures; Co-founder, Yodlee
- Shashin Shah – Managing Partner, Think Investments
- Amit Singhal – Former SVP of Search, Google
- UC Investments – University of California
The team’s Principal Owners and Managing Partners are Anand Rajaraman and Venky Harinarayan, founding partners of Rocketship.vc. Renowned for their early-stage investments in tech giants like Facebook (Meta), and their AI and data science roots at Junglee (Amazon) and Kosmix (Walmart), they’re spearheading cricket’s expansion in the U.S. tech hub.
“A shared vision for cricket’s future in the Bay Area”
“This world-class group of investors brings deep strategic expertise and a shared vision for growing the game of cricket in the Bay Area and across the United States,” said Rajaraman. “With their support, we’re building a team that reflects the global spirit of the sport and the innovation-driven culture of the Bay Area.”
British-born Indian actor Kunal Nayyar emphasized his personal connection to the game:
“Growing up in New Delhi, cricket has always been close to my heart. It’s a game that unites people across cultures and continents,” said Nayyar. “I’m proud to support the San Francisco Unicorns as they help bring world-class cricket to the U.S. and inspire a new generation of fans.”
Unicorns ready for 2025 MLC season at Oakland Coliseum
The 2025 Major League Cricket season begins on June 12, with the Unicorns playing home matches at the iconic Oakland Coliseum. The team, which made it to last season’s MLC Championship game, continues to grow its fan base and reputation on and off the field.
Current partners include Qualys and Toyota, while the team roster is led by Head Coach and former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson. On the field, the Unicorns boast a mix of international stars and local talent:
- Matt Short, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cooper Connolly – Australia
- Finn Allen – New Zealand
- Liam Plunkett – England, 2019 World Cup winner
- Corey Anderson – Former USA captain
- Romario Shepherd – West Indies T20 specialist
- Sanjay Krishnamurthi – Bay Area native
With elite backing, strategic partnerships, and global talent, the San Francisco Unicorns are poised to drive cricket’s American evolution—starting in the heart of Silicon Valley.
