A personal journey from corporate success to entrepreneurship at 39, exploring why experience and perspective make mid-career transitions not just possible, but advantageous for building meaningful ventures.
Her Story
About Ekta
Ekta Agarwal is an aspiring startup founder and entrepreneur with a strong background in technology, engineering, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence. She is passionate about building innovative AI-driven solutions that solve real-world problems and create meaningful business impact.
Ekta began her technology career with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) after earning a multidisciplinary educational foundation that includes a bachelor's degree in Biomedical Science and Engineering, a master's degree in Computer Science from the School of Information Technology affiliated with Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, and an MBA with a specialization in Entrepreneurship in the United States.
Throughout her career, she has contributed to enterprise technology initiatives across the United Kingdom and the United States, working in software engineering in various domains.. Her experience spans designing and delivering scalable technology solutions for global organizations while collaborating with cross-functional teams in diverse business environments.
Today, Ekta is focused on building her own AI venture, combining her technical expertise, entrepreneurial mindset, and passion for innovation to develop intelligent products that address emerging market needs. She is particularly interested in the intersection of artificial intelligence, automation, and next-generation digital experiences, with a long-term vision of creating technology that empowers businesses and improves everyday lives.
Ekta received the MVP Award of the Year, Academic Dean's Award, Employee of the Year Award. She serves as president of the San Marcos Tennis Organization, a nonprofit. She attributes her success to lessons from failures and rejections, continuous learning, hard work, determination, and a mindset focused on setting and achieving goals.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Ekta
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to a combination of continuous learning, resilience, and a genuine passion for solving meaningful problems. Throughout my career, I have focused on building high-performing teams, embracing change, and turning complex challenges into opportunities for innovation and growth. I believe success is never an individual achievement—it comes from empowering others, fostering collaboration, and leading with integrity and purpose. As technology continues to evolve, I remain committed to staying curious, adapting quickly, and creating lasting impact through people, innovation, and AI-driven transformation.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received was: "Build your career around your values, not just your title." As a startup founder and a mom, that advice has helped me make decisions that align with both my professional ambitions and my personal priorities. I've learned that success isn't about doing everything yourself—it's about being committed and creative, asking for help when needed, and being fully present in the moments that matter most.
As Mr.Huang(CEO of Nvidia) says there is no replacement for hard-work I think its the perfect way of saying how to accomplish something. Building a company while raising a family has reinforced that meaningful achievements come from showing up every day, embracing challenges, and staying committed even when the path is uncertain. Hard work, combined with purpose and the support of those around you, is what turns ambitious goals into reality.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering the engineering and AI industry is to invest deeply in your technical foundation and never underestimate the value of curiosity. Seek out challenging projects early, ask questions confidently, and build a network of mentors and peers who will support your growth. Don’t wait until you feel 100% ready before pursuing opportunities—growth happens when you step beyond your comfort zone. Most importantly, remember that your perspective is a strength; diverse voices lead to better products, better decisions, and stronger teams.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest opportunities in engineering today is the rapid advancement of AI, which is fundamentally transforming how we design, build, and deliver products. Engineers are no longer just writing code—they are collaborating with intelligent systems to accelerate innovation, improve quality, and solve increasingly complex problems. At the same time, one of the greatest challenges is helping organizations adopt AI responsibly by balancing speed with security, ethics, governance, and customer trust. The engineering leaders who will have the greatest impact are those who embrace continuous learning, foster a culture of innovation, and empower their teams to leverage AI while keeping people at the center of every decision.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I've learned that life has a funny way of reminding you that there are no shortcuts—whether you're building a company, leading a team, or convincing your kids to eat their vegetables. Every challenge has taught me the value of showing up, rolling up my sleeves, and figuring things out alongside great people. Some of my proudest moments haven't been my own achievements, but watching people I've mentored grow into confident leaders. At the end of the day, even if I've helped build one person something meaningful and made someone's journey a little easier, then it's all worth it.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Ekta
Trading Certainty for Possibility
Why I Left a Successful Corporate Career to Build My Own Path
I worked on challenging engineering problems, collaborated with talented teams, learned from exceptional leaders, and grew into leadership roles that shaped both my technical expertise and my perspective. Like many professionals, I followed a path that looked successful on paper-a stable career, continuous growth, and opportunities to make an impact.
But somewhere along the way, I realized something important.
Success isn't only about climbing the next rung of the corporate ladder. Sometimes it's about building the ladder yourself.
At 39, I made a decision that many considered unconventional: I chose entrepreneurship.
It wasn't because I was dissatisfied with my career. In fact, I was grateful for everything the corporate world had given me. It taught me discipline, resilience, execution, collaboration, and how to solve complex problems at scale.
But I found myself increasingly drawn toward creating something from the ground up-solving problems I deeply cared about, moving faster, making decisions without layers of approvals, and building products that could make a meaningful difference.
WHY NOW?
People often ask whether it's "too late" to become an entrepreneur.
I believe it's quite the opposite.
By 39, you have accumulated something far more valuable than youthful enthusiasm: experience.
- You understand customers because you've been one.
- You've managed projects, navigated failures, built relationships, mentored teams, and learned that execution matters more than ideas.
- You know that every success is backed by countless unseen hours of hard work.
- Most importantly, you become comfortable admitting what you don't know-and confident that you can learn it.
That combination is a powerful foundation for entrepreneurship.
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