Pankaj Patel

Pankaj Patel is a seasoned technology executive and investor with over 25 years of experience in the networking and cybersecurity sectors. He co-founded Nile, a networking startup that provides secure connectivity and network independence through a fully automated, wired and wireless LAN deployed entirely as a service. Nile has raised significant funding from various investors, including Liberty Global Ventures, STC Ventures, Sanabil, March Capital, and others. Prior to Nile, Patel served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer at Cisco Systems, where he was responsible for leading the development and execution of Cisco's $38 billion technology portfolio across a global team of more than 28,000 employees. He also helped define Cisco's technology innovation strategy to transform how people connect, communicate, and collaborate through integrated hardware and software platforms and architectures. In previous roles at Cisco, Patel served as Senior Vice President and General Manager for the company's service provider business, which achieved market segment leadership in routing, video, and mobility under his leadership. He was a founding leader of Cisco's first multi-service access business unit, developing strategy for access routers and voice-over-packet technology and delivery. Patel joined Cisco through the company's acquisition of Stratacom in 1996. Before joining Cisco, Patel was Senior Vice President of Engineering at Redback Networks, where he was responsible for the development and delivery of all Redback products. Earlier in his career, Patel founded a consulting company focused on application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) design, software, and CAD tools. Customers included EMC, Hewlett-Packard, and other major corporations that looked to Patel's firm to design ASIC technologies for their computing, storage, and networking products. He also held various senior management positions at Apollo Computer, HP, and Digital Equipment Corporation. Patel holds a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Pilani, India, and a Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 2003, he was awarded a patent in the area of multi-service architecture. He is an industry member of the Dean's Advisory Committee of UCLA's School of Engineering and maintains ongoing involvement in Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering. He also serves on the Board of Directors of The Addario Lung Cancer Medical Institute, which is dedicated to catalyzing and accelerating the discovery, development, and delivery of new and more effective treatment options for lung cancer patients. Patel is based in San Jose, California, and continues to be actively involved in the technology and investment sectors, focusing on incubating and advising startups with their strategy, go-to-market, growth, and scale. He is also a leader who prides himself in helping his teams achieve success. In addition to enabling the careers and business success of many executives (past and present), he is a mentor and sponsor to numerous employees throughout the company and the industry.