When you design with empathy and scale with intention, access becomes the greatest innovation of all.
Throughout her 19+ year career—including 12 transformative years at Microsoft and now as a Global Growth Strategy and GTM Executive at Databricks—Sonal Mane has dedicated herself to democratizing access to technology and economic opportunity. Her career arc reflects a bold, consistent mission: reduce friction, amplify equity, and empower every user, customer, and partner to thrive.
At Microsoft, Sonal helped reinvent user experiences through the launch of the Office 2007 Fluent UX, a foundational shift in how users engaged with productivity software. She later joined Microsoft for Startups, where she witnessed the barriers early-stage founders—especially underrepresented ones—faced in scaling. In response, she created the Startup Predictor, a patented, data-driven model built in collaboration with Bing’s data science team that removed bias from investment decisions and generated over $10M in pipeline revenue.
At Databricks, Sonal continued her equity-driven innovation by launching the digital self-service charter, enabling more than 200,000 users—including non-technical ones—to onboard, engage, and grow through scalable, AI-led content. This initiative alone helped drive revenue growth and activated thousands of new customers.
Alongside product innovation, she is leading the partnerships focused on high-potential underserved partners—cutting onboarding time and boosting upskilling that opened the door to new market opportunities.
Her philosophy? “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take,” she says. “Give it your best. Be bold. And above all, be kind.” It’s a mindset she applies not only to systems, but to people—especially through her mentorship work with Girls in Tech, PLGTM, and the GTM Alliance.
From designing inclusive UX at Microsoft to pioneering AI-powered growth strategies at Databricks, Sonal Mane’s work proves that democratizing access isn’t just a business strategy—it’s a personal commitment to ensure everyone has the tools and confidence to lead.
About #empowHER50 campaign
This campaign celebrates women leaders at Microsoft, past and present, who have been instrumental in democratizing access to technology, opportunity, and growth. By honoring their contributions over the last half-century, this campaign highlights stories of resilience, innovation, and inclusivity. Through digital spotlights, a commemorative coffee table book, live recognition events, and more, the campaign inspires collective action toward achieving equitable societal goals. To learn more about empowHER50, please visit https://womenincloud.com/empowHER50
To learn about Microsoft 50th celebrations: https://news.microsoft.com/microsoft-50/
