17 Persons of Indian Origin on Forbes List 2026

Seventeen Indian Americans were named to Forbes’ 2026 Midas List, highlighting the community’s growing influence in funding and shaping the world’s leading technology companies.

Indian-origin investors have strengthened their position in the global venture capital industry, with 17 Indian Americans earning places on Forbes’ 2026 Midas List, the annual ranking of the world’s top 100 venture capital investors.

Leading the group is Vinod Khosla, founder of Khosla Ventures, who claimed the No. 1 position worldwide. Forbes credited Khosla’s early investment in OpenAI as a major factor behind his return to the top of the list. Khosla, who also topped the inaugural Midas List in 2001, has now made his 19th appearance on the ranking.

“The technologies change. The game doesn’t. Most important breakthroughs look unreasonable at first, until entrepreneurs make them inevitable,” Khosla said after topping the 2026 ranking.  

Among the highest-ranked Indian-origin investors were Eric Vishria at No. 3, Shardul Shah at No. 10, Saurabh Gupta at No. 15, and Ravi Mhatre at No. 16. Several others, including Hemant Taneja, Navin Chaddha, and Asheem Chandna, also featured prominently. 

The list reflects the growing influence of Indian Americans in venture capital, particularly in sectors such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, cybersecurity, fintech, enterprise software, and digital infrastructure. Many of the investors backed companies that recorded major exits, public listings, or valuation gains over the past year.

As Forbes observed in their analysis of the 2026 rankings, “In venture capital, conviction eventually becomes consensus—and consensus eventually becomes crowded. The investors climbing this year’s Midas List are the ones who moved before the crowd arrived.” 

The observation highlights a defining characteristic of successful venture investing: the ability to identify transformative ideas before they become widely accepted. For many of the Indian-American investors featured on the list, that willingness to back emerging technologies early has helped place them among the most influential figures in global venture capital. 

Celebrating the 17 Indian Americans on the 2026 list, leading community organization Indiaspora said their selection reflects “the growing and indispensable role Indian Americans play in the startup ecosystems powering Silicon Valley and entrepreneurship hubs around the world.” 

Industry observers note that the strong Indian-American presence on the list mirrors the community’s growing role in financing some of the world’s most influential technology companies. Many of the investors recognized this year were early backers of firms involved in artificial intelligence, cloud services, cybersecurity, autonomous vehicles, and next-generation software platforms. 

The Forbes Midas List is considered one of the venture capital industry’s most prestigious rankings and is compiled using data on successful investments, exits, and company valuations. This year’s list underscores the increasingly prominent role Indian-origin investors play in identifying and supporting the technologies shaping the global economy.

The 17 Indian Americans on the 2026 Forbes Midas List