Shri Ambuj Kumar

(BT/EE/2002)

Shri Ambuj Kumar is a visionary technologist and entrepreneur whose groundbreaking work in cybersecurity has redefined data protection and AI-led cyber defence. As the founder oftwo industry-leading companies, Fortanix and Simbian, he has consistently pushed the boundaries of innovation to address critical security challenges and made the world more secure and private.

A prolific inventor with more than 100 patents, Shri Kumar is recognized as the father of Confidential Computing, the first commercially successful technology for data-in-use encryption. Today, this innovation is trusted by hundreds of organizations, including industry giants like IBM, Intel, and Goldman Sachs, to secure their most sensitive data. It is also crucial in protecting mobile phone user data from unauthorized access and wiretaps.

As the founder and CEO, Shri Kumar led Fortanix to secure $135 million in funding, establishing the company as a global leader in encryption. The company's focus on quantum-resistant encryption solutions and its rapid growth, earning rankings on the Deloitte Fast 500 and Inc. 5000, underscore his business foresight.

Recognizing the surge of AI-led attacks on critical infrastructure worldwide, Shri Kumar founded Simbian. The company's core offering is an Agentic AI platform that uses advanced, proprietary knowledge unavailable to attackers to keep organizations secure, quickly earning the trust of major partners such as Wipro, NTT Data, and Infosys.

Shri Kumar's early career provided the technical bedrock for his later innovations. At NVIDIA, he developed fundamental components, including memory controllers and GPUs, which are now powering the global AI revolution. His subsequent tenure at Cryptography Research Inc. further solidified the multidisciplinary approach necessary for his entrepreneurial success.

He holds a B.Tech from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, and an M.S from Stanford University, both in Electrical Engineering. Beyond innovation, his entrepreneurial spirit extends to mentoring young entrepreneurs solving hard problems.

In honour of his stellar contributions in the fields of Cybersecurity and Technological Innovation, IIT Kanpur confers upon Shri Ambuj Kumar the Distinguished Alumni Award 2025.