Jump to content

Prashanth Prakash

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Prashanth Prakash
NationalityIndian
Occupation(s)Venture Capitalist, entrepreneur
SpouseAmitha Prashanth
AwardsPadma Shri 2025

Prashanth Prakash is an Indian Venture Capitalist, entrepreneur and philanthropist based in Bengaluru. He is the founding partner of Accel India.[1][2] He received the Padma Shri in 2025 from the Government of India for his contribution to Trade & Industry.[3] He is also the chairman of the Vision Group for Startups for the Government of Karnataka.[4][5][6][7]

Career

[edit]

In 1995, Prashanth Prakash founded Visual Reality, one of India’s first animation companies. In 1997 he founded NetKraft, an offshore solutions company focusing on retail and healthcare verticals.[8]

Since 2004, he has played a key role as a Venture Capitalist in nurturing Karnataka and India's start-up landscape.[7][9]

In 2008, Prashanth Prakash along with Subrata Mitra founded the Indian arm of the US venture capital firm Accel.[10][11]

In 2021, he was appointed as an advisor to the 13th Chief Minister of Karnataka Sri B. S. Yediyurappa.[12][13]

As a partner at Accel, Prashanth Prakash has played a vital role in shaping up renowned Indian startups such as Flipkart, Ola, Freshworks, Bookmyshow, Swiggy & Bounce amongst many others.[14][15][16]

He was one of the jury members of Economic Times Startup Awards.[17][18]

In October 2024, Prashanth Prakash became the joint owner of the Bengaluru franchise team in the second season of the Global e-Cricket Premier League (GEPL).[19]

Philanthropy

[edit]

Prashanth Prakash is the chairman of United Way of Bengaluru, Sikshana and UnboxingBLR Foundation. Under these organizations he curates, facilitates, and promotes activities for communities and schools.[20][21][22]

Prashanth has helped Sikshana in expanding their work from 10 to 100 schools.[23][24] He has also collaborated with government schools and anganwadis emphasizing education for girls. His work has influenced 50,000 schools and 3 million people in India.[25]

In 2021, Prashanth Prakash, in collaboration with several venture capitalists, established a 100-crore COVID fund[26] and created ACT Grants to encourage start-ups focused on developing products and services to tackle Pandemic related concerns.[27]

In August 2022, Prashanth Prakash partnered with The Indian Institute of Science to set up a geriatrics wing as part of IISc's upcoming Bagchi-Parthasarathy Hospital.[28][29] He is also the Founding Patron of the Longevity India initiative in IISc.[30]

Bibliography

[edit]

Prashanth Prakash has co-authored a book titled "Unboxing Bengaluru - The City of New Beginnings".[31] It was launched by the 22nd Chief Minister of Karnataka, Sri Siddaramaiah.[32]

Awards & honors

[edit]
  • Padma Shri 2025 for contributions in Trade & Industry.[33][3]
  • Social Impact Leader 2021 for his philanthropic work by ASSOCHAM.[34]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Committee with stakeholders and officials will draw up a roadmap for the Bengaluru in six months: D.K. Shivakumar". The Hindu. 17 June 2023.
  2. ^ "Prashanth Prakash: Master Mentor". Mint (newspaper).
  3. ^ a b "Padma Awards 2025" (PDF). www.padmaawards.gov.in. MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS.
  4. ^ "National Startup Advisory Council reconstituted; non-official members nominated". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
  5. ^ "From Nikhil Kamath to Prashanth Prakash: Key Highlights from EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2023". Business Today. 2 November 2023.
  6. ^ "Invest in new ideas, not flavour of the season, says Accel's Prashanth Prakash". Mint (newspaper).
  7. ^ a b "'Team, practicality of business plan are what we look at, not spreadsheets'". BusinessLine. 10 June 2012.
  8. ^ "Prashanth Prakash: A Pioneering Venture Capitalist Transforming India's Startup Landscape". Bru Times News.
  9. ^ "GenAI, climate & fintech, hot bets for investors next year: Accel's Prakash". Business Standard.
  10. ^ "Accel's India story". Mint.
  11. ^ "Manufacturing-focussed startups got $8 billion in investments over 7 years: Prashanth Prakash". The Economic Times. 2023-10-12. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  12. ^ "Accel partner Prashanth Prakash to advise Karnataka CM on strategy, planning". VCCircle.
  13. ^ "Accel's Prashanth Prakash appointed advisor to Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddiyurappa". Moneycontrol.
  14. ^ "The Accel effect". www.fortuneindia.com. 2018-07-12. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  15. ^ Prakash, Prashanth (2023-12-31). "Innovation, sustainability to fuel transformative phase: Accel's Prashanth Prakash". The Economic Times. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  16. ^ "Of 100 Indian unicorns, 25 will go IPO in the next 3-5 years: Accel's Prashanth Prakash". Business Today. 2022-11-16. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  17. ^ "ET Times Startup Awards 2017 Business Photo Prashanth P..." Times Of India.
  18. ^ "The Jury – The Economic Times Startup Awards 2024". Etstartupawards.com.
  19. ^ "Nikhil Kamath, Ankit Nagori and Prashanth Prakash now Bengaluru franchise owners of e-cricket league". The Economic Times. 21 October 2024.
  20. ^ "Board of Directors". United Way Bengaluru.
  21. ^ Callie (2019-01-10). "Accel -Lessons For Social Change". Innovations of the World. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  22. ^ Muyiwa, Joshua (2023-12-08). "Bengaluru is flexing its cultural muscle". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  23. ^ "Philanthropy with Purpose: An Inspiring Vision for India's Future". Thephilanthropist.org. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  24. ^ "Sikshana Foundation | Board Members". sikshana.org.
  25. ^ "Prashanth Prakash honored with 'India CSR Impact Leader Award' - India CSR". 2021-01-18. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  26. ^ "Action Covid-19 Team eyes Rs 500 crore philanthropic fund". The Economic Times. 4 March 2021.
  27. ^ "Accel's Prashanth Prakash: Building A Rs 100 Crore Covid-19 Relief Fund". Forbes India. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  28. ^ "IISc signs agreement with Prashanth Prakash to set up geriatrics wing". Business Standard.
  29. ^ "Venture capitalist Prashanth Prakash signs up with IISc, to fund geriatrics unit at Bagchi hospital". The Economic Times. 2022-08-11.
  30. ^ "IISc launches Longevity India Initiative to support ageing research in India". The Hindu. 18 April 2024.
  31. ^ Jasline, Cheryl (2023-12-02). "'Bengaluru is a city that offers different types of Bengaluru, all coexisting'". The Hindu. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  32. ^ "Karnataka announces 10-day Unboxing Bengaluru Habba festival to showcase best of state capital". The Indian Express. 16 November 2023.
  33. ^ "Padma Awards Winners 2025 Full List". Bru Times News.
  34. ^ "ASSOCHAM honors Prashanth Prakash as Social Impact Leader 2021 - India CSR". 2022-02-25. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Prashanth_Prakash&oldid=1273048411"