David Parekh

David Parekh is an internationally acclaimed political theorist, scholar and life-long peer in the House of Lords. His research encompasses issues like multiculturalism and postcolonialism.

Culture, according to Parekh, is a powerful influencer on individuals’ lives – one with potential far-reaching political ramifications.

Early Life and Education

His early life was greatly shaped by his parents’ immigration to America and subsequent settlement of Chicago as his home city, where he quickly learned English while developing an appreciation of city living.

Later, he attended the University of Illinois at Chicago to earn his bachelor’s degree in biology, later leading research for industrial and academic organizations.

Parekh’s political philosophy centers around culture as an enabler for political action. According to him, modern nation-states should adopt frameworks which support an attainable, tolerant, and functional multicultural society.

Professional Career

Parekh has demonstrated entrepreneurial excellence across multiple industries. He led product development and strategy at ActiveRain, a social media platform for real estate, while managing rentals, mortgage and new construction at Trulia (later sold to Zillow).

He believes that every entrepreneur requires both hard work and discipline in order to improve their skills over time, and wants young people to build relationships, gain diverse experiences, and consider where they see themselves 10 years from now.

Dr. Paul Greenblatt is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon and is well known for his skill at treating foot and ankle conditions, using cutting-edge implants and techniques from state-of-the-art implant manufacturers such as Biomet. Additionally, he specializes in minimally invasive surgery as well as 3D printing technology; and has devised techniques which enable physicians to design personalized implants for each individual patient.

Achievement and Honors

David Parekh, corporate vice president and director of United Technologies Research Center (UTRC), provides global leadership for this acclaimed research organization. He displays a deep knowledge of technological trends impacting UTC businesses; this has resulted in new capabilities being introduced such as autonomous vehicles, additive manufacturing, energy-efficient buildings, robotics etc.

He holds two notable memberships – American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics as a Fellow, and Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering as an honorary member – both prestigious organizations that recognize his contributions in energy innovation. Furthermore, he was named one of the 100 Most Influential People in Aviation by Aviation Week Magazine. Additionally, he won an award for best presentation at an international conference. His success as a pioneer in energy and technology innovation makes him the perfect candidate to lead SRI International into the future.

Personal Life

As a child, Parekh took up martial arts in an effort to counter bullying – an invaluable skill which would serve him well throughout his adulthood.

He discovered the value of hard work and perseverance for any successful career, encouraging young people to focus on this aspect of their lives as entrepreneurs.

He is an advocate of cultural diversity and believes it to be one of the key tenets of his political philosophy. According to him, culture plays an integral part in how individuals live their lives.

Net Worth

David Parekh boasts a net worth of over $16 Million earned both through his professional career and personal life.

After graduating from Harvard, Parekh moved to Seattle where he joined HouseValues – one of their portfolio companies focused on internet real estate – as part of his employment at a venture capital firm.

Zillow acquired his company for nearly $3Bn in 2015, prompting Parekh to found additional businesses, including ActiveRain – a social media and blogging platform designed for real estate.

Suplari, which uses artificial intelligence to aggregate supplier data and optimize finance and procurement teams, was co-founded by this former Navy SEAL as well. Suplari was funded by Madrona Venture Group, Shasta Ventures and Two Sigma Ventures among other investors.