“One moment that crystallized this for me was when I was teaching a class called Valley Meets Mission at Stanford. I saw incredibly talented and entrepreneurial students who didn’t see public service as a viable part of their career journey and, similarly, public policy students who didn’t view entrepreneurship as part of theirs,” Gupta said in an interview. “Each thought they had to choose between making money or doing good. That’s when I realized we needed to change the narrative.”
Gupta’s efforts have centered on creating an ecosystem for tech talent to become “dual citizens” of both the public and private sectors, such as the NobleReach Scholars program, which gives early-career professionals hands-on experience in public service and cutting-edge challenges. It received 1,300 applicants last year. And his Common Mission Project has forged multiple partnerships across academia, industry and government agencies.
In 2024, Gupta co-authored a best-selling book, “Venture Meets Mission,” which discusses how workers can build careers that balance people, purpose and profit, a guiding principle that has been reflected in his own life.
“Growing up in a family rooted in public service — my father spent over 40 years at the Naval Sea Systems Command — I’ve always deeply respected the people who dedicate their lives to serving the greater good,” he said. “Moving into the nonprofit space felt like a way to honor that legacy while leveraging my background in venture capital and academia to drive real, systemic change.”
The keys to making a difference, he added, lie in ..
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