Asha Jadeja

Asha Jadeja is a prominent Indian-American venture capitalist and philanthropist based in Palo Alto, California. She is the founder of the Motwani Jadeja Family Foundation, which focuses on promoting entrepreneurship and innovation in underserved regions of the United States and India. Through her foundation, Jadeja has supported various initiatives aimed at fostering economic growth and technological advancement.

In her venture capital career, Jadeja has been involved in early-stage investments in several high-profile technology companies, including PayPal, Pinterest, AppDynamics, Meraki, and Mimosa. Her investment strategy emphasizes supporting innovative startups with high growth potential, particularly those that can drive significant social and economic impact. She has also been a founding stakeholder in Google, playing a critical role in establishing the company's DNA alongside her late husband, Professor Rajeev Motwani of Stanford University.

Beyond her investment activities, Jadeja has been actively involved in philanthropic efforts. She established the Motwani Jadeja Family Foundation in 2012 to make philanthropic investments in promoting entrepreneurship in underserved pockets in the US and India. Her flagship program, the Rajeev Circle Fellowship, now has about 150 fellows that she has worked closely with. The goal of this fellowship is to accelerate the problem-solving repertoire of her fellows and help them 'pay it forward'. Her RC fellows collaborate closely with TED, INK, and Acumen Fellows who Jadeja has supported over the years. Every year, Jadeja leads and 'globalizes' a group of her fellows at important global platforms such as the Consumer Electronics Show in the US, UN General Assembly in New York, Munich Security Conference, and World Economic Forum events in Davos, Switzerland. In 2023, Jadeja launched the Motwani Women Entrepreneurs Fellowship in partnership with TiE Global. This new program supports 40 disruptive women entrepreneurs from India, the Middle East, and Africa. Apart from venture and philanthropic investments, Jadeja has investments in various US think tanks and universities that help strengthen US-India partnership on technology, security, and trade. As a well-known art collector, Jadeja created the India Soft Power Initiative in 2021 along with the University of California at Berkeley and the Kochi Art Biennale. The goal of this program is to establish a permanent presence for Indian art at the Venice Art Biennale, the world's oldest and most prestigious art event.

Jadeja's approach to investing and philanthropy is characterized by a commitment to fostering innovation, supporting entrepreneurs, and promoting cross-cultural collaboration between the United States and India. Her work continues to have a significant impact on the technology and philanthropic sectors, reflecting her dedication to creating positive change through strategic investments and initiatives.