Prakash Janakiraman

Overview

Prakash Janakiraman is an experienced entrepreneur and angel investor based in San Francisco, California. He co-founded Nextdoor, a private social networking platform for neighborhoods, where he served as Chief Architect and Head of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB). Prior to Nextdoor, Janakiraman held engineering leadership roles at Google, managing teams for Google Maps, Google Base, and Froogle. He began his career as a software engineer at Excite@Home in 1996 and later worked at Shopping.com and Epinions. As an angel investor, Janakiraman has supported early-stage startups across various sectors, including consumer goods, retail, food and beverage, and internet services. His investment portfolio includes companies like Lemon Perfect, a beverage company, and Blue Wire, a sports podcasting network. He has demonstrated a commitment to fostering innovation and supporting purpose-driven founders. Janakiraman holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Berkeley. His diverse experience in both entrepreneurship and investing reflects a strong dedication to advancing technology and consumer-focused businesses. His strategic insights and leadership have contributed to the growth and success of several startups in his portfolio.