Mr. Akshay Kothari

Senior Product Manager, Content Publishing & Distribution, LinkedIn Corporation

Mr. Akshay Kothari
"My four years at Purdue University were among the most memorable and fruitful years of my life. Purdue helped build a solid base, on which I continue to build my career. Although my degree was in electrical engineering, I credit Purdue for teaching me the basics of problem solving. This has empowered me to solve different kinds of problems - whether it be circuit design problems during my engineering internships or evaluating investment opportunities while working for a venture capital firm or ultimately starting and building a rapidly growing company. I am deeply indebted to Purdue University for giving me this confidence, and I'm honored to receive this award."
 

Mr. Akshay Kothari manages Pulse and other content efforts at LinkedIn as a senior project manager. Released in 2010, Pulse is a mobile app designed and developed by Mr. Kothari that allows users to read their favorite news sources from one streamlined interface. Within weeks of its release, Pulse reached the top of the App Store and was recognized by Steve Jobs in his keynote speech at the 2010 Apple Worldwide Developers' conference. In less than three years, Pulse grew to over 30 million users and was acquired by LinkedIn in 2013.

Prior to joining LinkedIn, Mr. Kothari was employed at SDL Ventures, where he sourced and evaluated investment opportunities in software, healthcare, and the green tech sector. He also spent two months at a portfolio company, Acuity Sparkle, to assist with business development, including setting up the company’s first manufacturing plant in Mumbai, India.

Mr. Kothari received a master's in electrical engineering from Stanford University in 2010 and a bachelor's in electrical and computer engineering from Purdue University in 2007. He lives in San Francisco with his wife, Manya Kothari. He credits his family in Ahmedabad, India for making sacrifices to support his education and career in the United States.