Ardie Sameti
Ardie Sameti is an American technology executive and entrepreneur. He is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Scala, an artificial intelligence startup based in Bellevue, Washington. Sameti is best known for his work in operational intelligence and for his decade-long leadership at the healthcare technology firm Accolade, Inc.
Early Life and Education
Sameti was born in Iran during the Iran-Iraq War and immigrated to the United States with his family as a child. He settled in the Seattle metropolitan area, where he was raised.
While Sameti maintains a low profile regarding his formal academic credentials, he frequently cites his unconventional entry into technology, having spent over a decade in the hospitality industry before transitioning to enterprise software. He has noted that his early business education came from the "game of pennies" in restaurant operations, which instilled a focus on operational rigor and customer obsession.
Career
Hospitality and Early Business
Prior to his career in technology, Sameti spent more than 10 years in the hospitality sector. He owned and operated several local bars and restaurants in the Pacific Northwest. During this period, he managed all aspects of business operations, including logistics, general management, and customer service—experiences he later applied to his work in customer experience (CX) technology.
Accolade, Inc. (2015–2025)
In 2015, Sameti joined Accolade, Inc. as an assistant to Rajeev Singh (the company's then-CEO). Over a ten-year tenure, he rose through the ranks of the product and engineering organizations, eventually serving as Vice President of Product, AI & Platform.
His work at Accolade focused on:
Automation: Leading initiatives to integrate AI into healthcare advocacy platforms.
Operational Scale: Scaling systems to support millions of member interactions.
Recognition: In 2024, his leadership in AI-driven solutions contributed to Accolade receiving the Artificial Intelligence Excellence Award.
Scala (2025–Present)
In 2025, Sameti co-founded Scala alongside Rajeev Singh (current CEO of Smartsheet). The company serves as an "intelligence layer" for contact centers, designed to unify data across disparate systems and coordinate workflows between human agents and AI.
Under Sameti’s leadership:
Funding: The company emerged from stealth in early 2026 with $8.5 million in seed funding led by Madrona Venture Group and FUSE.
Product: Launched "Pulse Assist," an AI-driven operational sidekick for customer experience leaders.
Growth: The firm established its headquarters in downtown Bellevue and grew to nearly 20 employees within its first year.
Boards and Professional Affiliations
Sameti is an active member of the Pacific Northwest professional community. He serves on the Board of Directors for Rainier Athletes, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that provides mentorship and sports opportunities to students in the Bellevue area.
Personal Life
Sameti resides in the Seattle area. He is a frequent speaker and commentator on the intersection of human-centric AI and enterprise operations. Despite his professional visibility, he maintains a private personal life.
