Neha Narkhede’s entrepreneurial journey is nothing short of inspiring. Born and raised in Pune, India, she has become one of America’s most successful self-made women entrepreneurs. Neha co-founded Confluent, a cutting-edge technology company, which has grown to a staggering market valuation of $9.1 billion, equivalent to ₹75,000 crores. Her remarkable journey underscores the importance of innovation, persistence, and seizing opportunities in the tech world.
Neha’s story began in Pune, where she completed her schooling before pursuing a master’s degree in the United States. Upon graduation, she worked at Oracle as a technical staff member before joining LinkedIn. Over the years, her hard work and expertise saw her rise rapidly through LinkedIn’s ranks, first as Senior Software Engineer, and then as Principal Software Engineer. But Neha’s entrepreneurial spirit was always calling.
In 2014, Neha took a bold step by quitting LinkedIn along with two colleagues to co-found Confluent. Initially serving as the Chief Technology and Product Officer, Neha’s technical brilliance was pivotal in shaping the company’s early growth. Confluent specializes in data streaming technology, offering real-time data infrastructure, which has revolutionized industries by helping companies process massive amounts of data instantly.
Thanks to Neha’s leadership, Confluent quickly became a leader in its field. With her 6% stake in the company, Neha’s personal net worth has soared to over ₹42,000 crore (approximately $520 million), cementing her position as one of the top self-made women in the U.S. As of today, she continues to serve as a board member, guiding Confluent’s ongoing success.
Her achievements haven’t stopped there. In 2021, she launched another venture, Oscillator, further expanding her influence in the tech sector. Neha Narkhede’s story is not only a testament to her technical expertise but also her fearless ambition, showing the world that with innovation, persistence, and vision, anything is possible.