TiE Silicon Valley was proud to host a special Book Launch & Fireside Chat with Kanwal Rekhi, TiE Co-Founder and one of Silicon Valley’s most influential pioneers — a visionary who helped build the global TiE movement.
Entrepreneur, investor, mentor, and thought leader, Rekhi is the author of the newly released book The Groundbreaker: Entrepreneurship, the American Dream, and the Rise of Modern India, a powerful memoir that traces his journey from humble beginnings in India to becoming a trailblazer in Silicon Valley.
Rekhi is widely recognized as the first Indian-American founder and CEO to take a company public on NASDAQ, breaking barriers for immigrant entrepreneurs and paving the way for generations of founders who followed.
Most notably, he co-founded The IndUS Entrepreneurs (TiE), which has grown into one of the world’s largest global networks of entrepreneurs, mentors, and investors, supporting innovation across 60+ chapters worldwide.
A Special Fireside Chat
The evening featured an engaging fireside conversation between Kanwal Rekhi and Vish Mishra, offering a rare opportunity to hear firsthand stories from the early days of Silicon Valley and the founding of TiE.
Together, they reflected on the origins of TiE, the rise of Indian entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley, and the journey that helped shape a global entrepreneurial community.
Their conversation highlighted:
• The early days of Silicon Valley and the immigrant founder experience
• The founding vision behind TiE and its growth into a global movement
• Personal stories and defining moments from Rekhi’s entrepreneurial journey
• Lessons and inspiration for the next generation of founders
Rekhi’s Legacy of Impact
• Trailblazing Entrepreneur – The first Indo-American CEO to take a company public on a U.S. stock exchange.
• Co-Founder of TiE – Helped build TiE into a global community mentoring thousands of founders worldwide.
• Bridge Between the U.S. and India – Played a key role in strengthening technology and policy ties between the two countries, including contributions to India’s telecom policy and the U.S.–India nuclear cooperation framework.
• Thought Leader – Has advised institutions such as the RAND Corporation and the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research on technology, policy, and economic policy issues.
About the Book
In The Groundbreaker, Rekhi shares his remarkable story — from growing up in a modest home in India to becoming one of Silicon Valley’s most influential entrepreneurs and mentors.
The book chronicles his journey as one of the earliest Indian-origin entrepreneurs helping shape Silicon Valley while also inspiring and supporting the rise of India’s modern startup ecosystem.
As Eric Schmidt writes:
“Immigrants like Kanwal have shaped the DNA of Silicon Valley, and this book provides a firsthand account of how that transformation took place.”
The book also features a foreword by Congressman Ro Khanna.