How Indian-Americans became the titans of unicorns in the US

Over the last five years, Indian-Americans have quietly risen as the champions of the unicorns - billion-dollar startups- ecosystem, transforming Silicon Valley boardrooms into global hubs of innovation.

Driving the news

• According to a report by Indiaspora , Indian immigrants have founded or co-founded 72 of the 358 unicorns that have emerged in the United States since 2018, making them the most prolific immigrant founders in the unicorn universe.
• This impressive figure accounts for about 20% of immigrant-founded unicorns in the US, highlighting the unique contributions of Indian-origin entrepreneurs to the American innovation landscape.
• Collectively, these unicorns are valued at over $195 billion and employ approximately 55,000 people, making Indian-Americans a formidable force in the entrepreneurial world.
• These aren’t just tech whizzes chasing the next big IPO. They are storytellers, risk-takers, and cross-cultural navigators who have seamlessly blended the hustle of Mumbai’s markets with the ambition of Wall Street.
• With valuations soaring beyond $195 billion, Indian-led unicorns have become not only economic powerhouses but symbols of a new kind of American Dream—one that speaks in the languages of code, venture capital, and a diaspora’s insatiable drive for success.

Why it matters

• The remarkable rise of Indian-American founders in the unicorn landscape is a testament to their pivotal role in driving US innovation, economic growth, and technological advancement.
• Despite representing only 1.5% of the US population, Indian-Americans are vastly overrepresented in high-impact entrepreneurial roles, reshaping industries like enterprise technology, healthcare, fintech, and consumer goods.
• Their influence underscores the broader impact of the Indian diaspora on the US economy and society, particularly in sectors that define the future of business and technology.

A new vanguard of leadership

• Indian-Americans aren’t just building companies; they’re leading them at unprecedented levels. In 2023, sixteen Fortune 500 companies had CEOs of Indian origin, a testament to the community’s growing corporate clout.
• From Satya Nadella at Microsoft to Sundar Pichai at Alphabet, these leaders are redefining what it means to be at the top in America’s biggest companies.
• The presence of Indian CEOs in corporate America is not just a statistical quirk—it’s a statement about the kind of leadership the modern business world craves: bold, diverse, and globally minded.

From Bay Area to Bengaluru

• The allure of Silicon Valley has always been its promise: come here, bring your ideas, and the sky is the limit. For Indian founders, that promise has been a lifeline—and a launchpad. Companies like Rippling, the workforce management platform, and Innovaccer, a healthcare tech giant, are reshaping their respective industries with the sort of disruptive flair that would make any VC drool.
• These founders often carry a hybrid identity, a fusion of Ivy League polish and the entrepreneurial grit honed in India’s teeming cities.
• "Approximately 20% of Indian unicorns and many startups have co-founders who have leveraged US higher education into successful ventures," the report said.
• These entrepreneurs are channeling degrees from institutions like Stanford and MIT into ventures that span everything from artificial intelligence to financial technology. PhonePe and Dream11 are living examples of US-educated founders Turing their dreams into reality in India.

The big picture

• Indian-Americans have long been associated with excellence in education, professional success, and a strong presence in high-skilled sectors like technology, medicine, and engineering.
• Nearly 78% of Indian-Americans hold at least a bachelor’s degree—more than double the US national average of 36%. This focus on education and achievement has created a pipeline of talent that feeds into leadership roles in some of the most innovative companies in the world. With around 320,000 work visas allocated to Indian professionals in 2022-2023,
• Indian-origin individuals represent 73% of high-skilled work visa holders, reflecting their critical role in filling talent gaps across key industries in the US.
• This strong educational foundation has translated into entrepreneurial success, particularly in the startup ecosystem. Indian-Americans have founded unicorns that span a wide array of sectors, demonstrating a versatile and innovative spirit.

What’s next
The future looks promising for Indian-American entrepreneurs as they continue to expand their influence across the US and global markets. The trend of deepening US-India ties, particularly in the tech sector, will likely fuel further opportunities for collaboration and growth. The success of Indian-origin unicorns sets the stage for even more dynamic interactions between the two countries, as talent, capital, and ideas flow across borders.

With both nations increasingly looking to each other as strategic partners, there is immense potential for Indian-American founders to tap into burgeoning markets in areas like artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and clean energy. The ongoing expansion of the Indo-US economic corridor is expected to enhance this momentum, fostering an environment where innovation thrives. As US companies invest in India to access its growing customer base and skilled workforce, and Indian companies continue to invest in the US, the entrepreneurial landscape for Indian-Americans will only become more vibrant.