PeopleofSuperintelligence

Builder

Cristóbal Valenzuela

Cristóbal Valenzuela is Runway’s co-founder and co-CEO, where he helps build foundational AI models and media tools. He studied economics and design in Chile, researched AI for art, and took that work to NYU’s ITP, where he helped start Runway as a platform for artists and worked on ml5.js for creative coders. Runway began by making early models usable through orchestration systems, then grew into a product suite used by studios and brands. He collaborated on Soundify, a system for matching sounds to video; Runway’s generative-video tools appeared in Oscar-winning films, and the company launched its AI Film Festival and Hundred Film Fund. His work has been recognized in The Washington Post’s Next 50 and TIME100 Next lists.

Now at
Runway
Photo of Cristóbal Valenzuela

Timeline

  1. 2012–2018

    Finding AI in art

    He made home videos as a teenager in Santiago. He studied economics and business management at Adolfo Ibáñez University, completed a master’s in arts and design in 2012, then taught design and researched AI in art before completing NYU Tisch’s ITP program in 2018.

  2. 2018

    Building a runway for artists

    At NYU’s ITP, he began Runway as a platform to make machine-learning models accessible to artists. He co-founded it in 2018 with Anastasis Germanidis and Alejandro Matamala.

  3. 2018

    Making early models usable

    Runway focused on orchestration systems that made its early, limited models usable.

  4. By 2020

    Opening machine learning to artists

    At NYU, he worked with Dan Shiffman and ITP students on ml5.js, making machine-learning techniques more accessible to creative coders on the web.

  5. 2023

    Sound effects meet moving images

    He collaborated on Soundify, a system that helps video editors match sounds to video. Runway’s generative-video tools also appeared in advertisements and films including Everything Everywhere All at Once.

  6. As of October 2026

    Leading Runway

    He is Runway’s co-founder and co-CEO. The company builds foundational AI models and tools, with a product suite used by Hollywood studios and major brands.

  7. As of October 2026

    A fund and a festival

    Runway has launched the Hundred Film Fund and its own AI Film Festival.

  8. As of October 2026

    Recognition in two lists

    His work has been recognized in The Washington Post’s Next 50 and TIME100 Next lists.

Sources and credits

Photo: Web Summit, via Wikimedia Commons. License: CC BY 4.0. Source: commons.wikimedia.org. Cropped to a square and resized. Ask us to remove or replace this photo.

  1. Cristóbal Valenzuela tisch.nyu.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.
  2. We shape our tools and thereafter our tools shape us: Interview with RunwayML founder Cristóbal Valenzuela blog.paperspace.com. Checked 14 October 2026.
  3. Runway CEO: AI could usher in new ‘golden era’ of cinema semafor.com. Checked 14 October 2026.
  4. Inside the Leslie Founders Roundtable with Cristóbal Valenzuela, Founder of Runway entrepreneur.nyu.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.
  5. Soundify | Human-Computer Interaction Institute hcii.cmu.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.
  6. Culture of Shipping, the Artist as CEO, and Running a Full Stack Company | Felicis felicis.com. Checked 14 October 2026.