The Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research at UC Berkeley is pleased to announce that Tony Xu (B.S. IEOR '07), will be honored with the department’s inaugural Berkeley IEOR Alumni Achievement Award. The award will be presented during a special ceremony celebrating Tony’s remarkable contributions to industry, innovation, and community impact.

Tony Xu is the CEO and Co-founder of DoorDash, a company he launched in 2013 to empower local businesses and transform last-mile logistics. Inspired by his early experiences working in his mother’s restaurant after immigrating to the U.S. from China, Tony sought to solve one of the biggest challenges for small businesses—expanding their reach in an increasingly digital world.

Under Tony’s leadership, DoorDash has grown from a student-founded startup into a leader in local commerce in more than 30 countries. Through strategic expansion into underrepresented markets, a data-driven logistics network, and technological innovations like the Drive customer insights platform, DoorDash has redefined convenience for businesses and consumers alike. Today, its services extend beyond restaurant delivery to include grocery, retail, beauty, alcohol, pet supplies, and more.

Beyond commercial success, Tony has led DoorDash in prioritizing social impact, launching Project DASH in 2018 to help deliver food and essential items to people experiencing food insecurity. Since then, the initiative has powered over 6 million deliveries, equating to an estimated 100 million meals. Additionally, during the COVID-19 pandemic, DoorDash played a critical role in supporting local businesses, waiving fees for struggling restaurants, providing financial assistance to affected workers, and expanding last-mile delivery services for nonprofits and government agencies.

Before founding DoorDash, Tony held roles in product development at Square, led strategic initiatives at eBay, and launched his career at McKinsey & Company. His visionary leadership reflects the problem-solving, innovation-driven spirit of Berkeley IEOR alumni—reshaping industries and generating lasting economic opportunities for communities around the world.

Tony Xu will be honored during a special Community Celebration and Alumni Achievement Award Ceremony on April 30. This special event will feature a keynote address by Philip Kaminsky, Senior Principal Research Scientist at Amazon and Berkeley IEOR Professor Emeritus.