Vilas Dhar

2018 Young Alumni Achievement Award

As an entrepreneur, venture investor, and philanthropist, Vilas Dhar (BS ’04, along with a BS Bioengineering ’04) is a global leader in the field of social impact.  His commitment to creating broader access to justice, catalyzing the development and deployment of humanitarian technology, and to championing the work of nonprofit social leaders led him to found, scale, and exit two successful companies before the age of 35, and has made him a noted senior adviser to global companies and emerging-economy governments.  

Vilas developed his commitment to technology for good as an undergraduate in computer science and bio-engineering at the University of Illinois.  Vilas went on to receive a JD from New York University School of Law and a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University.

Vilas has served as the Gleitsman Fellow on Social Change at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, a trustee of a major global foundation, a member of the Board of Directors of several global technology companies, and continues to support and mentor social entrepreneurs, CEOs and policymakers. Through his private office and philanthropic activities, Vilas now focuses on finding, supporting, and championing global changemakers.