Guru Parulkar
Technologist • Entrepreneur • Architect of AI Infrastructure • Catalyst for Human Potential

My journey began in rural India, where monsoons flooded our classrooms and English was learned under a tree. That path led me to IIT Bombay, and then across the world to the University of Delaware, where I earned a Ph.D. in Computer Science and discovered my passion for networking and distributed systems.

I became a professor at Washington University in St. Louis, where I co-developed gigabit networking technologies and co-founded my first startup, Growth Networks (acquired by Cisco) during late 1990s. That decision pulled me into the heart of Silicon Valley, a leap of faith that shaped the next two decades of my life.

At the National Science Foundation, I launched visionary programs like FIND and GENI, helping rejuvenate the field of Internet research during 2003-2007. Then came my most transformative chapter — a long tenure at Stanford University, where I co-led the Clean Slate Internet Design program and the NSF-funded Expedition on Programmable Open Mobile Internet (POMI)-2020, and co-founded the Open Networking Lab (ON.Lab) that later merged with the Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and continued with the mission, helping spearhead the global movement around software-defined networking (SDN) and open (source) Internet including datacenter infrastructure.

Alongside my research and nonprofit work, I co-founded companies like Sceos (Ruckus Wireless) and Ananki (acquired by Intel), and became a seed-stage investor in ventures like Nicira (acquired by Vmware), Barefoot Networks (acquired by Intel), Forward Networks, Tetrate and others — always with the goal of transforming infrastructure to unlock new waves of innovation.

Today, I’m beginning a new chapter: working at both ends of the AI stack — from AI infrastructure and edge AI platforms to AI life coaches that help people live with clarity, wisdom, and fulfillment.

Outside of work, I am deeply committed to spirituality, mindfulness, and personal growth. I integrate ancient wisdom with modern life. I practice yoga and meditation, am an avid long-distance runner (15+ half marathons, one full marathon), and enjoy hiking in the Bay Area while listening to stimulating podcasts.