The Unknown Billionaire Who Made Internet Possible! Desh Deshpande

About Guest:Desh Deshpande is a renowned entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist with a legacy of building transformative tech companies. He founded billion-dollar ventures like Cascade Communications and Sycamore Networks, served as Chairman of A123Systems and Sparta Group, and held leadership roles at Tejas Networks and Motorola. A Life Member of the MIT Corporation and Trustee of the Deshpande Foundation, he’s spent over 25 years shaping innovation, entrepreneurship, and social impact in both the U.S. and India.In this podcast, Desh Deshpande shares his journey from arriving in Canada with just $8 to building billion-dollar companies like Cascade and Sycamore. He discusses the evolution of internet infrastructure, startup lessons, innovation vs. relevance, and how to scale impact through philanthropy. From quitting startups to working with Bill Clinton and MIT, Desh offers deep insights on entrepreneurship, risk-taking, technology trends, and creating meaningful change across business and society.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction01:58 Journey to Canada03:45 Graduate School and Teaching08:06 First Taste of Entrepreneurship08:25 Move to Silicon Valley and Boston09:39 Growth Strategies and Market Needs11:28 Technological Innovations14:12 Building a Network15:28 Challenges in Telecommunications21:07 Rise of Sycamore Networks24:29 Market Dynamics and Competition31:43 Future Technologies and Opportunities35:38 Personal Reflections and Advice44:13 Lessons from Coral Networks44:44 Moving to Boston and Early Struggles45:10 First Funding and Product Development45:40 Differences in Vision and Decision to Quit48:13 Starting Cascade and Entrepreneurial Spirit49:07 Living a Life of Sacrifice vs. Enjoyment50:17 Lessons on Control and Letting Go52:42 Broadening Comfort Zones Through Challenges59:53 Importance of Conviction and Objectivity01:03:22 Philanthropic Journey and MIT Involvement01:04:32 Impact of ICORP Program in the US and India01:05:07 Challenges of Working with the Bottom of the Pyramid01:11:24 Entrepreneurship for All Program01:13:06 Irrational Optimism in Entrepreneurship01:13:57 Navigating Financial Crises01:15:01 Experience with Bill Clinton and Air Force One01:17:30 Predicting the Future and Embracing Change01:19:38 Adapting to Technological Changes01:20:26 Advising Obama and Policy Impact01:22:31 Creating Entrepreneurial Ecosystems01:23:06 Lessons from N.R. Narayana MurthyCredits: Host: Shivank Joshi - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shivankjoshi-2001/Thumbnail: YaaSPost Production: YaaSSupport: Zerodha ( https://zero1byzerodha.com/network )Disclaimer:The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed by the speaker and host are their own and do not represent those of the Exploring Minds platform. The information provided in this podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. All products and company names mentioned are the property of their respective owners, and their use does not imply any endorsement or opposition.#DeshDeshpande #DeshpandeInterview #DeshDeshpandePodcast #DeshDeshpandeStory #DeshDeshpandeMIT #DeshDeshpandeBiography #DeshDeshpandeEntrepreneur #DeshDeshpandePhilanthropy #DeshDeshpandeFoundation #DeshDeshpandeInnovation #CascadeCommunications #SycamoreNetworks #TejasNetworks #CoralNetworks #A123Systems #Airvana #SpartaGroup #Motorola #MIT #DeshpandeFoundation #BillionDollarStartup #InternetRevolution #StartupSuccess #OpticalNetworking #TelecomLegend #IITToMIT #IndianEntrepreneur #SiliconValleyLegend #TechPioneer