An alumni bridges disciplines and builds teams
Alan Gonzalez, MBA ’20, built his career on experimentation, iteration and the belief that ideas get better when you share them. As a founder, mentor and now instructor, he’s helping others turn their own ideas into something tangible — starting in the classroom.
Gonzalez was recently named to Puget Sound Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” list for his work with tech startups DevMatch and Propio. The recognition, he said, felt deeply validating after years of quiet persistence.
“It’s a very welcome change,” he said. “All of a sudden, people start noticing the work you’ve been doing day in and day out.”
Learning to lead
Gonzalez began his career in Mexico, studying computer science and launching his first company while still an undergraduate. He was soon recruited by Microsoft, where he spent nearly a decade working in engineering and supply chain roles. Along the way, he also founded OmegaUp, a nonprofit that supports software engineering talent in Latin America.
OmegaUp grew quickly, but leadership proved challenging. Gonzalez found himself struggling to unify a team of passionate and talented professionals without much experience in governance or interpersonal dynamics.
“I realized it’s not so much about the technology,” he said. “It’s about the people. Getting a group of people to move in the same direction, even if not everyone agrees 100 percent — that’s hard.”
This insight led him to UW Bothell’s School of Business Leadership MBA program.
Finding his people at UW Bothell
Gonzalez said he chose the UW Bothell School of Business, in part, for its timing and location. The program’s evening classes plus their proximity to his office, made it possible to continue working full-time. But he discovered that the format wasn’t the main benefit.
“What made the biggest difference was the people,” he said. “Everyone had real-world experience. We could ask each other questions, challenge each other and learn in ways that went far beyond the classroom.”
He made a point to immerse himself in the full UW Bothell Husky experience. He joined student clubs, participated in workshops — and even reached out to professors at other campuses to sit in on additional classes.
“I was the oldest person in the room by a few years,” he said. “But I learned so much from those students. They were brilliant.”
Switching to startups
One defining moment came during UW Bothell’s MBA Association conference, put on by the School of Business. While seated next to an investor during lunch, Gonzalez decided to share a rough startup idea. The response wasn’t a yes, but it opened a door.
“I realized I didn’t need the perfect idea,” he said. “I just had to start. That moment helped me lose the fear.”
That experience eventually led him to enroll in the Foster School of Business’ Master of Science in Entrepreneurship program. He left Microsoft to focus full-time on building a startup, and DevMatch was born — a platform that evaluates software engineers through real-world challenges rather than brainteasers.
Looking back, Gonzalez said, his curiosity about how people think and work together was sparked at UW Bothell.
“I remember reading Influence by Cialdini in a marketing class,” he said. “It completely changed how I thought about business and leadership.”
Coming back to UW Bothell’s School of Business
The educational foundation Gonzalez received at UW Bothell made it a logical decision to return to the School of Business as an instructor. He now teaches a product development course that brings together business and computer science students. The class takes an interdisciplinary approach that mirrors his professional path.
“I want my class to be an intellectually stimulating experience that pushes students outside their comfort zones,” he said.
Students learn tools like Figma, Azure DevOps and cloud deployment platforms; apply Scrum methodology; pitch weekly to mock investors; and use AI-assisted development tools. Just as important, they learn what it means to be part of a functioning team.
“One highlight for me was when a student reached out after the class,” Gonzalez recalled. “They took what we discussed and applied it to their dad’s business. Seeing that kind of real-world impact makes it all worth it.”
Teaching across disciplines
Gonzalez believes that in both startups and classrooms — and said the best outcomes come from working across boundaries.
“Very few things are built by just one person. You have to be able to collaborate across perspectives,” he noted. “Even if someone completely disagrees with you, their viewpoint might hold something valuable.”
You don’t have to start a company to think like an entrepreneur. It’s about solving real problems with limited resources and taking initiative instead of waiting for permission.
It’s a lesson Gonzalez first encountered during his nonprofit work and then deepened during his MBA studies. It’s also what he tries to pass on to his students.
“You don’t have to start a company to think like an entrepreneur,” he said. “It’s about solving real problems with limited resources, seeing opportunity where others see obstacles and taking initiative instead of waiting for permission.”
Looking ahead
While his current focus is on growing DevMatch and Propio, Gonzalez has longer-term interests in AI, neuroscience and possibly a Ph.D. “I’ve been developing an interest in the brain,” he said. “That actually started during the MBA program at UW Bothell, where I saw how much of leadership and business is tied to how we perceive the world.”
Curious and committed to the process, Gonzalez continues to build — and teach — at the intersection of innovation and impact.