Venktesh Shukla, founder of Monta Vista, a California-based seed-stage venture capital firm, was honored with the Distinguished Alumnus award by Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT), Bhopal, where he completed his electronics engineering degree in 1975. During the convocation ceremonies, Shukla announced a donation of 134,000 US Dollars to MANIT for a project of the institute’s choice, along with an annual donation of INR one lakh to the MANIT Alumni Association.
Addressing the graduating classes of 2022 and 2023, Shukla emphasized the significance of technology in today’s rapidly changing landscape. He highlighted the exponential growth of technology, citing examples like Microsoft and Google being larger than 185 countries. Shukla advised students to recognize the immense opportunities presented by technological advancements, especially in India, a talent hotspot sought after by forward-thinking businesses worldwide.
In November, Monta Vista secured a $48 million funding round, its largest to date, to support business-to-business startups. Shukla, in addition to being the firm’s founder and managing director, serves as the president, board member, and trustee of the Foundation For Excellence (FEE). FEE focuses on assisting talented but underprivileged students in India, providing 18,000 scholarships to date, fostering success in STEM fields.
