Ex-Google DeepMind and Databricks Engineers Launch Pomo

New AI startup aims to apply agent principles to marketing decisions.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 12:22pm by Ben Kaplan

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A group of former engineers from Google DeepMind and Databricks have launched a new AI startup called Pomo that aims to apply principles of autonomous agent systems to help brands and marketers make more efficient and effective decisions across a range of marketing functions.

Why it matters

The launch of Pomo represents the latest effort by former tech industry leaders to commercialize advanced AI techniques like reinforcement learning and multi-agent systems that were pioneered at research labs like DeepMind. If successful, Pomo could help transform how brands and agencies approach marketing strategy, media buying, content creation, and other key marketing decisions.

The details

Pomo was founded by Aisha Malik, a former research scientist at DeepMind, and Liam Nguyen, a former engineering manager at Databricks. The startup is developing an AI platform that uses reinforcement learning and multi-agent coordination to help brands and agencies optimize marketing decisions across channels, campaigns, and creative assets.

  • Pomo was founded in early 2026.

The players

Aisha Malik

A former research scientist at Google DeepMind who co-founded Pomo.

Liam Nguyen

A former engineering manager at Databricks who co-founded Pomo.

Pomo

A new AI startup founded by former Google DeepMind and Databricks engineers that aims to apply agent-based principles to marketing decision-making.

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What they’re saying

“We believe the principles of autonomous agent systems can be powerfully applied to the complex, dynamic world of marketing to help brands make smarter, more efficient decisions.”

— Aisha Malik, Co-founder, Pomo

What’s next

Pomo plans to launch its first product offerings later in 2026 and is currently in discussions with several major brand and agency clients.

The takeaway

The launch of Pomo represents the latest effort by former tech leaders to commercialize advanced AI techniques, this time with the goal of transforming marketing decision-making through autonomous agent principles.