From Pune to Silicon Valley: Vinod Khosla Becomes 10th on Forbes Innovators’ List

Vinod Khosla, born on January 28, 1955, in Pune, India, has been ranked 10th on Forbes’ list of America’s Greatest Innovators, highlighting his transformative impact on technology and venture capital. The list features the top 250 living US innovators, celebrating leaders shaping industries.

Khosla co-founded Sun Microsystems in 1982, addressing a gap in powerful computing for software developers. As Sun’s founding CEO, he championed open systems and helped commercialize RISC-based processors, gaining early backing from Kleiner Perkins’ John Doerr.

After leaving Sun in 1986, Khosla transitioned to venture capital, founding Khosla Ventures in 2004. The firm is known for backing high-risk, experimental technologies, including OpenAI, Square, DoorDash, and biomedicine startups, establishing Khosla as a pioneer in science-driven investment.

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An IIT Delhi graduate in electrical engineering, Khosla also earned a master’s in biomedical engineering from Carnegie Mellon and an MBA from Stanford. His early entrepreneurial efforts included a soy milk venture in India, which ultimately led him to Silicon Valley’s tech ecosystem.

Khosla, married to Neeru Khosla of the CK-12 Foundation, has four children. With a net worth of $12.2 billion, he continues to influence global innovation through both his investments and mentorship, cementing his legacy as a transformative figure in technology and venture capital.

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