# Maneet Khaira

> Maneet Khaira is the San Francisco-based co-founder and CEO of Backbone, which develops gaming controllers and software. He studied computer science at Columbia and worked at Google and YouTube before founding Backbone in 2018. Its controllers and companion app reflect his ambition to make games easier to access across phones and other screens.

- **Role:** Co-founder and CEO at Backbone
- **Organizations:** Backbone, Google, YouTube, Greylock Partners, Intel, Avnera, Columbia University
- **Education:** Bachelor’s degree; studied computer science, Columbia University, Sunset High School
- **Known for:** Founded Backbone in 2018., Led Backbone through its October 2020 product launch and February 2022 $40 million Series A., Backbone One received a 2022 Red Dot Design Award.

## Career timeline

- **2015** — Listed as a first-year distance runner on Columbia’s cross-country roster.
- **2018** — Worked at YouTube and founded Backbone during his senior year at Columbia.
- **2020** — Backbone One launched in October.
- **2022** — Backbone announced a $40 million Series A led by Index Ventures; Backbone One won a Red Dot Design Award.
- **2023** — Discussed controller ergonomics and case-compatible magnetic adapters in a December interview.
- **2025** — Introduced Backbone Pro in May and explained the Kith collaboration in a December founder letter.
- **2026** — Backbone announced its Xbox 25th Anniversary Pro edition in August, with an October 20 shipping date.

## Achievements

- Founded Backbone in 2018.
- Led Backbone through its October 2020 product launch and February 2022 $40 million Series A.
- Backbone One received a 2022 Red Dot Design Award.
- Built a business with PlayStation, Xbox and Kojima collaborations.
- Introduced Backbone Pro in May 2025.

## Latest updates

- **2026-08** — Backbone announced its Xbox 25th Anniversary Pro edition in three blind-box colorways, with shipping announced for October 20, 2026.
- **2025-12** — Khaira published a founder letter about the limited-edition Kith collaboration and his wish to connect gaming with broader culture.
- **2025-05** — Announced Backbone Pro; his launch post reported 9,347 part iterations, 32 research studies and 1,167 development days.

## Links

- Website: https://maneetkhaira.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maneetkhaira
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/maneetks

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/maneet-khaira
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-22