Notable People from the Industry

Index

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Steve Jobs was a visionary entrepreneur, inventor, and co-founder of Apple Inc., widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in technology and business. Born in 1955 in San Francisco, Jobs' journey began with a passion for electronics and design. In 1976, alongside Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne, he founded Apple, pioneering the personal computer revolution with the Apple II and, later, the Macintosh. Jobs’ leadership and relentless pursuit of perfection helped Apple introduce groundbreaking products, such as the iPod, iPhone, and iPad, which redefined consumer technology. Known for his intense focus, creativity, and ability to anticipate user needs, Jobs' influence extends beyond his products; he reshaped entire industries, including music, telecommunications, and digital media. His legacy as an innovator lives on, inspiring a new generation of leaders in technology and design.

STEVE JOBS (1955-2011)

Bill Gates is a renowned entrepreneur, software developer, and philanthropist, best known as the co-founder of Microsoft, the world’s largest personal-computer software company. Born in 1955 in Seattle, Gates showed an early aptitude for programming and a passion for technology. In 1975, he co-founded Microsoft with Paul Allen, quickly establishing the company as a leader in the software industry with the groundbreaking MS-DOS and later Windows operating systems, which helped make personal computers accessible to millions. Gates transitioned from Microsoft’s CEO to focus on philanthropy, dedicating much of his wealth to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which addresses global challenges in health, education, and poverty. His contributions continue to shape both technology and global philanthropy, cementing his legacy as one of the most influential figures in modern history.

BILL GATES

Mark Zuckerberg is an influential entrepreneur and the co-founder of Facebook, now known as Meta Platforms, Inc. Born in 1984, Zuckerberg showed an early talent for programming and created Facebook in 2004 while attending Harvard University. Originally launched as a social network for college students, Facebook rapidly grew to become a global platform connecting billions of people worldwide. Zuckerberg’s vision for Meta extends beyond social networking to include immersive technologies like virtual and augmented reality, aiming to build the "metaverse" — a new digital environment for social interaction, work, and entertainment. Known for his impact on social media and communication, Zuckerberg has become one of the most recognized figures in the tech industry, influencing digital culture and connectivity on a global scale.

MARK ZUCKERBERG

Elon Musk is a visionary entrepreneur, inventor, and CEO known for his ambitious ventures in technology and space exploration. Born in South Africa in 1971, Musk moved to the United States and gained early success as a co-founder of Zip2 and PayPal. He went on to found and lead several groundbreaking companies, including Tesla, Inc., which has revolutionized the electric vehicle industry, and SpaceX, which aims to make space exploration accessible and sustainable. Musk’s other ventures include Neuralink, which explores brain-computer interfaces, and The Boring Company, focused on tunnel construction for urban transportation. Known for pushing the boundaries of innovation, Musk is driven by a vision to solve global challenges like renewable energy and space colonization, making him one of the most influential and talked-about figures in modern technology.

ELON MUSK

Jeff Bezos is a pioneering entrepreneur best known as the founder and former CEO of Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer. Born in 1964, Bezos launched Amazon in 1994 from his garage as an online bookstore, eventually expanding it into a global e-commerce powerhouse that transformed retail and logistics. Under his leadership, Amazon diversified into areas like cloud computing with Amazon Web Services (AWS), streaming with Amazon Prime, and even physical retail. Bezos also founded Blue Origin, a private space exploration company focused on making space travel accessible and sustainable. Known for his customer-centric approach, long-term vision, and bold investments, Bezos has become one of the world’s wealthiest individuals and a leading figure in innovation and technology. His ventures continue to shape multiple industries, from retail and technology to space exploration.

JEFF BEZOS

Jeff Bezos is a pioneering entrepreneur best known as the founder and former CEO of Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer. Born in 1964, Bezos launched Amazon in 1994 from his garage as an online bookstore, eventually expanding it into a global e-commerce powerhouse that transformed retail and logistics. Under his leadership, Amazon diversified into areas like cloud computing with Amazon Web Services (AWS), streaming with Amazon Prime, and even physical retail. Bezos also founded Blue Origin, a private space exploration company focused on making space travel accessible and sustainable. Known for his customer-centric approach, long-term vision, and bold investments, Bezos has become one of the world’s wealthiest individuals and a leading figure in innovation and technology. His ventures continue to shape multiple industries, from retail and technology to space exploration.

JACK DORSEY

Satya Nadella is the CEO of Microsoft, credited with transforming the tech giant through a cloud-first, mobile-first strategy and a focus on innovation, inclusivity, and digital transformation. Since taking on the role in 2014, Nadella has overseen Microsoft’s expansion into AI, cloud computing, and business services, steering the company toward new growth avenues and market relevance. Known for his visionary leadership and collaborative approach, Nadella has fostered a culture of empathy and learning, positioning Microsoft as a key player in the modern tech landscape.

SATYA NADELLA

Ilya Sutskever is a leading AI researcher and co-founder of OpenAI, renowned for his work in advancing deep learning and neural networks. A former student of Geoffrey Hinton, one of the "Godfathers of AI," Sutskever has contributed to several groundbreaking developments in artificial intelligence, including the creation of notable models like GPT and DALL-E. With a background that includes research positions at Google Brain, he has played a pivotal role in shaping modern AI technologies, particularly in natural language processing and computer vision. His work continues to drive innovation in machine learning, pushing the boundaries of what AI can achieve.

ILYA SUTSKEVER

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Sam Altman is an influential entrepreneur, investor, and CEO of OpenAI, known for his vision and leadership in the tech industry. Previously the president of the startup accelerator Y Combinator, Altman has helped guide numerous startups to success, shaping Silicon Valley’s tech landscape. At OpenAI, he’s led efforts to advance artificial intelligence responsibly, contributing to the development of breakthrough models like ChatGPT. Altman’s focus on AI ethics and safety, coupled with his strategic approach to technology, has made him a key figure in the ongoing dialogue around AI’s role in society.

SAM ALTMAN

Greg Brockman is a co-founder and the president of OpenAI, where he plays a central role in advancing the company’s mission to ensure that artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. With a background in computer science and engineering, Brockman previously served as the CTO of Stripe, a leading payments platform, where he significantly contributed to scaling its infrastructure and services. At OpenAI, he has been instrumental in the development and deployment of major AI models like GPT, guiding the organization’s technical and ethical approach to transformative AI technology. His commitment to responsible AI development has positioned him as a prominent figure in the field.

GREG BROCKMAN

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John Schulman is a co-founder of OpenAI and a leading researcher in artificial intelligence, known for his pioneering work in reinforcement learning. Schulman played a crucial role in developing several core AI advancements at OpenAI, including the Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) algorithm, which has become a widely used method in training AI agents for complex tasks. With a strong background in computer science and a focus on making AI systems more efficient and adaptable, Schulman's research continues to shape the development of intelligent systems. His contributions have had a significant impact on fields ranging from robotics to game AI, making him a respected figure in machine learning and AI research.

JOHN SCHULMAN

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Wojciech Zaremba is a co-founder of OpenAI and a prominent researcher in the field of artificial intelligence, particularly known for his work in robotics and deep learning. At OpenAI, he has been instrumental in advancing research on AI's ability to learn complex physical tasks, including groundbreaking work in teaching robotic systems to perform tasks in dynamic environments. Zaremba’s expertise spans reinforcement learning and neural networks, with a focus on bridging the gap between simulated environments and real-world applications. His contributions are critical to OpenAI’s mission of building safe and highly capable AI systems, making him a significant figure in the AI research community.

WOJCIECH ZAREMBA

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Diederik P. Kingma is a prominent researcher and machine learning expert known for his work in the fields of deep learning and artificial intelligence. He is particularly recognized for his contributions to optimization methods and probabilistic modeling. Kingma is best known for developing the Adam optimization algorithm, a widely used method in training neural networks, which has become a standard tool in the field. His research spans a variety of topics, including variational inference, generative models, and unsupervised learning. Kingma has collaborated with influential figures in AI and has been affiliated with prestigious academic institutions, contributing to significant advancements in AI and machine learning.

DIEDERIK KINGMA

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Andrej Karpathy is a renowned computer scientist and AI researcher, known for his significant contributions to deep learning, computer vision, and natural language processing. He is best recognized for his work at Tesla, where he served as the Director of AI, overseeing the development of autonomous driving systems. Karpathy is also known for his work as the former Head of AI at OpenAI and his impactful research in recurrent neural networks (RNNs) and deep reinforcement learning. He gained widespread recognition through his educational content, including his popular lectures and tutorials on deep learning. Karpathy is highly regarded in the AI community for his technical expertise and ability to communicate complex ideas effectively.

ANDREJ KARPATHY

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Larry Page is a renowned computer scientist and entrepreneur, best known as the co-founder of Google, one of the world’s largest and most influential technology companies. Along with Sergey Brin, Page revolutionized the way people access and interact with information on the internet by developing the Google search engine. Page served as Google's CEO until 2001 and later as the CEO of its parent company, Alphabet Inc., which he co-founded in 2015. His work has significantly shaped the tech industry, with innovations in search algorithms, advertising technologies, and artificial intelligence. Known for his visionary approach to technology and business, Page has become one of the most influential figures in Silicon Valley.

LARRY PAGE

Sergey Brin is a computer scientist and entrepreneur, best known as the co-founder of Google, alongside Larry Page. Brin played a crucial role in developing the Google search engine and its underlying algorithms, which revolutionized how people access and interact with information on the internet. As a key figure in the company’s early days, Brin contributed to Google’s growth into a global technology giant. Later, as part of Google's parent company, Alphabet Inc., he continued to drive innovation in fields like artificial intelligence, self-driving cars, and other advanced technologies. Brin is recognized for his visionary approach and is considered one of the most influential figures in the tech industry.

SERGEY BRIN

Sundar Pichai is the CEO of Alphabet Inc. and its subsidiary Google, where he has been a pivotal figure in shaping the company’s growth and technological advancements. Born in India, Pichai joined Google in 2004 and quickly rose through the ranks due to his leadership in developing key products like Google Chrome, Google Drive, and Android. He became CEO of Google in 2015, and later, CEO of Alphabet in 2019, when Google’s parent company was restructured. Pichai is known for his calm leadership style, strategic vision, and commitment to making technology accessible and impactful on a global scale. Under his leadership, Google has expanded its reach in areas such as AI, cloud computing, and hardware.

SUNDAR PICHAI

Steve Wozniak, often known as "Woz," is an iconic engineer, inventor, and co-founder of Apple Inc., alongside Steve Jobs. Wozniak is celebrated for his role in designing the Apple I and Apple II computers, which were pivotal in launching the personal computing revolution. His engineering expertise and innovative designs made computing accessible to a wider audience and helped lay the foundation for Apple’s success. Known for his down-to-earth personality and love for technology, Wozniak remains an influential figure in the tech world. He is also a strong advocate for tech education, privacy rights, and encouraging young engineers to pursue creative and meaningful projects.

STEVE WOZNIAK

Andrew Ng is a leading AI researcher, educator, and entrepreneur, known for his influential work in machine learning and deep learning. He co-founded Google Brain, a pioneering research project that applied deep learning to large-scale data and helped shape modern AI. Ng is also the co-founder of Coursera, a popular online learning platform, and is renowned for his contributions to AI education, including his widely recognized online courses that have educated millions of learners worldwide. He has held key positions as a professor at Stanford University and as Chief Scientist at Baidu, where he led AI initiatives. Ng continues to be an influential voice in AI, advocating for accessible education, ethical AI development, and the practical application of machine learning in industries around the world.

ANDREW NG

Reid Hoffman is an accomplished entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and author, best known as the co-founder of LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional networking platform. Hoffman has been instrumental in shaping the digital networking and career-building landscape, making LinkedIn a vital resource for professionals worldwide. He was an early executive at PayPal, contributing to its growth before co-founding LinkedIn in 2002. After LinkedIn, Hoffman became a partner at the venture capital firm Greylock Partners, where he has invested in and advised numerous tech companies, including Airbnb and Facebook. Known for his insights on scaling businesses and the impact of technology on society, Hoffman is also the author of several influential books on entrepreneurship, including The Start-Up of You and Blitzscaling.

REID HOFFMAN

Larry Ellison is a prominent entrepreneur and technology executive, best known as the co-founder, former CEO, and current Chief Technology Officer of Oracle Corporation, one of the world’s largest software and cloud computing companies. Under his leadership, Oracle became a leader in database technology and enterprise software, providing solutions to businesses and governments globally. Known for his competitive nature and bold vision, Ellison drove Oracle’s aggressive growth through acquisitions and strategic innovation, positioning the company at the forefront of cloud computing and data management. He is also a notable philanthropist and has interests in sailing, aviation, and real estate. Ellison is one of the wealthiest and most influential figures in the tech industry.

LARRY ELLISON

Mukesh Ambani is a prominent Indian industrialist and the chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), one of India's largest conglomerates with interests in petrochemicals, telecommunications, retail, and digital services. Under Ambani's leadership, Reliance expanded significantly, notably through the launch of Jio, a telecom venture that transformed India's digital landscape by making high-speed internet affordable and accessible to millions. His strategic vision has positioned RIL as a dominant force in multiple industries, driving innovation and economic growth in India. Ambani is one of Asia's wealthiest individuals and a key figure in shaping the future of India's business and technology sectors.

MUKESH AMBANI

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Sabeer Bhatia is an Indian-American entrepreneur best known as the co-founder of Hotmail, one of the world’s first web-based email services, which played a significant role in popularizing free, accessible email for the masses. Founded in 1996, Hotmail quickly gained millions of users, and Bhatia sold it to Microsoft in 1997, marking one of the early major acquisitions in the tech industry. Bhatia's work in digital communication paved the way for future web services, and he remains active as an investor and entrepreneur. Known for his pioneering vision in the tech world, Bhatia continues to support technology-driven ventures and innovation.

SABEER BHATIA

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Reed Hastings is an American entrepreneur and co-founder of Netflix, a global leader in streaming entertainment that has transformed how people watch TV shows, movies, and documentaries. Launched in 1997 as a DVD rental service, Netflix evolved under Hastings' leadership into a pioneering streaming platform, reshaping the entertainment industry with its original content and data-driven approach. Known for his forward-thinking strategies, Hastings championed the shift to streaming and international content production, positioning Netflix as a dominant force in global entertainment. He is also known for his progressive views on corporate culture and innovation, making him one of the most influential figures in both technology and media.

REED HASTINGS

Marc Randolph is an entrepreneur, advisor, and the co-founder of Netflix, where he served as the company’s first CEO. Alongside Reed Hastings, Randolph launched Netflix in 1997 as a DVD-by-mail rental service, pioneering a new way to distribute entertainment and eventually helping to build it into a global streaming powerhouse. Known for his entrepreneurial spirit, Randolph has founded and advised numerous startups throughout his career, often focusing on innovative business models and customer-centric products. Since his time at Netflix, Randolph has become a respected speaker, author, and mentor, sharing insights on entrepreneurship and the importance of resilience and innovation in building successful companies.

MARC RANDOLPH

Anand Mahindra is a prominent Indian business leader and the chairman of the Mahindra Group, a multinational conglomerate with interests spanning automotive, aerospace, agribusiness, IT, and more. Known for his visionary leadership, Mahindra has been instrumental in transforming the company from a primarily Indian brand into a globally recognized entity, with a strong presence in markets like SUVs, tractors, and electric vehicles. He is also active on social media, where he shares insights on business, innovation, and social issues, making him one of India’s most influential voices in the corporate world. A strong advocate for sustainable development and technology-driven growth, Mahindra is highly regarded for his contributions to Indian industry and his commitment to social responsibility.

ANAND MAHINDRA

Shiv Nadar is an Indian industrialist, philanthropist, and the founder of HCL Technologies, one of India’s leading global IT services companies. Starting as a pioneer in India’s technology sector in the 1970s, Nadar grew HCL from a small hardware venture into a major player in software services, helping to shape the Indian IT industry. In addition to his business achievements, Nadar is deeply committed to education and social development through the Shiv Nadar Foundation, which has established numerous educational institutions aimed at providing quality learning and fostering innovation in India. Known for his visionary leadership and philanthropic impact, Nadar is regarded as one of the most influential figures in India's technology landscape.

SHIV NADAR

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Azim Premji is an Indian business tycoon, philanthropist, and the former chairman of Wipro Limited, a leading global IT services and consulting company. Often regarded as the "Czar of the Indian IT industry," Premji transformed Wipro from a small, family-owned cooking oil company into one of the largest technology firms in India. Beyond his business achievements, Premji is celebrated for his deep commitment to philanthropy through the Azim Premji Foundation, which focuses on education and social development across India. Known for his ethical leadership, humility, and dedication to social causes, Premji is one of India’s most respected and influential business leaders.

AZIM PREMJI

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Narayana Murthy is an acclaimed Indian entrepreneur and the co-founder of Infosys, a pioneering IT services company that helped position India as a global leader in software development and outsourcing. Under Murthy’s leadership, Infosys became synonymous with quality, transparency, and ethical corporate governance, setting new standards in the Indian IT industry. Murthy is celebrated not only for his role in building Infosys into a global powerhouse but also for his commitment to integrity, innovation, and empowering young talent. Often referred to as the "father of the Indian IT industry," he remains a respected voice in both technology and business ethics in India and worldwide.

NARAYAN MURTHY

Sridhar Vembu is an Indian entrepreneur and the founder of Zoho Corporation, a global technology company known for its suite of cloud-based business software solutions. Vembu is celebrated for building Zoho into a successful, privately-owned enterprise with a unique, bootstrapped business model, operating without external funding. Known for his emphasis on self-reliance and his commitment to rural development, Vembu has actively moved parts of Zoho’s operations to rural areas in India to foster local employment and growth. His innovative approach to business and focus on long-term impact make him a highly respected figure in the global tech community and an advocate for sustainable business practices.

SRIDHAR VEMBU

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Natarajan Chandrasekaran, commonly known as "Chandra," is the chairman of Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata Group, one of India’s largest and most prestigious conglomerates. Prior to this role, he served as the CEO and Managing Director of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), where he played a pivotal role in expanding TCS into a global IT powerhouse. Known for his strategic vision, operational excellence, and emphasis on innovation, Chandrasekaran became Tata Sons' first non-family chairman in 2017. He is widely respected for his leadership, commitment to digital transformation, and contributions to strengthening Tata Group’s legacy in various sectors, including technology, automotive, and consumer goods.

NATARAJAN CHANDRASEKARAN

Vishal Sikka is an Indian-American technologist and entrepreneur known for his leadership in artificial intelligence and enterprise technology. He is the founder of Vianai Systems, a company focused on providing AI-driven solutions for businesses. Sikka is also widely recognized for his tenure as CEO and Managing Director of Infosys, where he led transformative initiatives in digital technology and automation. Before Infosys, he served as Chief Technology Officer and a member of the executive board at SAP, where he was instrumental in the development of SAP HANA, an advanced in-memory database platform. Known for his expertise in AI and innovation, Sikka is a prominent figure in the tech industry, advocating for responsible and impactful AI applications in business.

VISHAL SIKKA

Salil Parekh is the CEO and Managing Director of Infosys, a leading global IT services and consulting firm based in India. Since taking on the role in 2018, Parekh has been instrumental in driving Infosys's growth in digital transformation, cloud computing, and AI solutions, positioning the company as a major player in the global technology landscape. With over three decades of experience in consulting and IT services, including a long tenure at Capgemini, Parekh is known for his strategic vision, operational expertise, and customer-centric approach. Under his leadership, Infosys has strengthened its presence in key international markets, reinforcing its reputation for innovation and digital leadership.

SALIL PAREKH

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Travis Kalanick is an American entrepreneur best known as the co-founder and former CEO of Uber, the ride-sharing giant that transformed the global transportation industry. Under Kalanick’s leadership, Uber rapidly expanded worldwide, disrupting traditional taxi services and pioneering the gig economy model for on-demand services. Known for his aggressive growth strategies, Kalanick played a crucial role in establishing Uber as one of the most valuable startups in the world. Despite controversies surrounding Uber's culture and regulatory challenges during his tenure, Kalanick is regarded as a visionary in the tech industry. Since leaving Uber, he has pursued new ventures, including a real estate startup, CloudKitchens, focused on ghost kitchens for food delivery.

TRAVIS KALANICK

Jack Ma is a Chinese entrepreneur, philanthropist, and the co-founder of Alibaba Group, a multinational conglomerate specializing in e-commerce, technology, and digital payments. Ma started Alibaba in 1999 from his apartment, and under his leadership, it grew into one of the largest tech companies globally, transforming China’s online retail and digital payment landscapes with platforms like Taobao, Tmall, and Alipay. Known for his charismatic personality and inspirational leadership style, Ma became a symbol of innovation and entrepreneurship in China. Beyond business, he is also recognized for his philanthropic work, focusing on education, environmental conservation, and public health initiatives. Ma remains a highly influential figure in global business and technology.

JACK MA

Ratan Tata was an esteemed Indian industrialist and philanthropist, known for his transformative leadership as the former chairman of Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata Group, one of India's largest and most respected conglomerates. Under his leadership, the Tata Group expanded globally, acquiring iconic brands such as Jaguar Land Rover and Tetley Tea, and launched landmark products like the Tata Nano, the world’s most affordable car. Beyond his business acumen, Tata is celebrated for his commitment to social causes and philanthropy through the Tata Trusts, which contribute to health, education, and rural development initiatives in India. Known for his integrity, vision, and humility.

RATAN TATA (1937-2024)

Linus Torvalds is a Finnish-American software engineer best known as the creator and principal developer of Linux, an open-source operating system kernel that powers a wide range of devices, from smartphones and servers to supercomputers. Torvalds began developing Linux in 1991 as a personal project, and it quickly gained popularity due to its reliability, flexibility, and open-source nature. Linux has since become a cornerstone of modern computing, especially in enterprise and cloud computing environments. Torvalds is widely regarded as a pioneering figure in the open-source software movement and continues to oversee the development of the Linux kernel, playing a key role in shaping the future of open-source software.

LINUS TORVALDS

Alan Turing was a British mathematician, logician, and computer scientist, widely considered one of the fathers of modern computing. Best known for his role in developing the concept of the Turing machine, which laid the theoretical foundation for computer science, Turing also made pivotal contributions to breaking the German Enigma code during World War II, significantly aiding the Allied victory. His work on artificial intelligence, including the creation of the famous Turing Test, has influenced the development of AI and machine learning. Despite facing persecution for his sexuality, Turing’s legacy has grown immensely, and he is now celebrated as a visionary who helped shape the digital age.

ALAN TURING

Peter Thiel is a German-American entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and philanthropist, known for his pivotal role in the tech industry. He co-founded PayPal, which revolutionized online payments and was later acquired by eBay. Thiel is also a founding partner of the venture capital firm Founders Fund and an early investor in Facebook, where his investment helped propel the company’s growth. A proponent of innovation and disruptive technologies, Thiel has been involved in numerous successful ventures, including Palantir Technologies and SpaceX. He is also known for his controversial ideas on technology, politics, and society, which he has shared in his book Zero to One. Thiel’s influence extends beyond Silicon Valley, making him a key figure in the world of entrepreneurship and venture capital.

PETER THIEL

Robert Herjavec is a Canadian-American entrepreneur, investor, and television personality, best known for his role as one of the "sharks" on the popular TV show Shark Tank. He is the founder and CEO of Herjavec Group, a leading global cybersecurity firm. Herjavec began his entrepreneurial journey in the technology sector, founding BRAK Systems, which was later sold to AT&T for $30 million. Known for his sharp business acumen and engaging personality, Herjavec has invested in a wide range of businesses, particularly in the fields of technology, cybersecurity, and digital media. His success as both a businessman and investor has made him a prominent figure in the world of venture capital.

ROBERT HERJAVEC