{{Short description|American entrepreneur}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Suneel Gupta | image = Suneel Gupta.jpg | birth_date = | birth_place = Novi, Michigan, U.S. | education = University of Michigan, Dearborn (BS)<br>Northwestern University (MBA, JD) | occupation = Entrepreneur, author, TV host, keynote speaker | known_for = {{ubl|''Backable'' (2021)|''Everyday Dharma'' (2023)}} | spouse = Leena Rao | children = 2 | mother = Damyanti Gupta | family = Sanjay Gupta (brother) | website = {{URL|https://www.suneelgupta.com/}} }}
'''Suneel Gupta''' is an American entrepreneur, author, television host, and keynote speaker. He founded the healthcare company Rise Labs, and is the author of two books: ''Backable'' (2021) and ''Everyday Dharma'' (2023). He is the host of the television series, ''Business Class''.
==Early life and education== Gupta was born and raised in Novi, Michigan.<ref name=":0"/> His parents, Damyanti and Subhash Gupta, had migrated from India to the United States in the 1960s and worked for Ford Motor Company as engineers. His mother was a refugee who became the first woman engineer at Ford having an advanced degree, as reported by ''Time''.<ref name="rediff"/><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Damyanti Gupta: The First Degreed Female Engineer at Ford Motor Company |url=https://time.com/collection/firsts/5296993/damyanti-gupta-firsts/ |access-date=23 July 2024 |magazine=Time |language=en-us}}</ref> He is of Sindhi descent.
Gupta graduated from Novi High School where he was active in politics.<ref name="rediff"/> He obtained an undergraduate degree in computer science from the University of Michigan-Dearborn, an MBA from Kellogg School of Management, and a Juris Doctor from Northwestern Law School.<ref name="crains"/><ref name="rediff"/> He is licensed to practice law in front of the United States Supreme Court and in California.<ref>{{cite news |title=Suneel Gupta and Farhan Latif to address grads at commencement ceremonies Dec. 16 |url=https://umdearborn.edu/news/suneel-gupta-and-farhan-latif-address-grads-commencement-ceremonies-dec-16 |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=umdearborn.edu |publisher=University of Michigan-Dearborn |language=en}}</ref> He had a brief stint as a speechwriter in the West Wing during the Clinton administration.<ref>{{cite news |title=Suneel Gupta on The Surprising Truth Behind What Makes People Take a Chance |url=https://somethingventured.us/159-suneel-gupta-on-the-surprising-truth-behind-what-makes-people-take-a-chance/ |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=Something Ventured |date=6 May 2021}}</ref>
==Career== Gupta's career began at the consulting firm Accenture in the early 2000s.<ref name="huff">{{cite news |last1=Marans |first1=Daniel|title=Democratic Candidate Critical Of Trade Deals Advised Companies On Outsourcing |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/democrat-suneel-gupta-trade-deals-outsourcing_n_5b4f6cf9e4b0de86f488fc09 |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=HuffPost |date=18 July 2018 |language=en}}</ref> He then worked for Mozilla Labs where he moved from legal domain to product design and went on to become director. In 2009, he joined the early-stage startup Groupon in Chicago as the company's first VP of Product Development.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Arrington |first1=Michael |title=Our Star Writer Moves To Chicago Because Groupon Had To Hire A VP Product |url=https://techcrunch.com/2009/12/03/our-star-writer-moves-to-chicago-because-groupon-had-to-hire-a-vp-product |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=TechCrunch |date=3 December 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Becoming Backable: Suneel Gupta on Learning from Failure |url=https://www.theversemedia.com/articles/becoming-backable-suneel-gupta-on-learning-from-failure |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=The Verse}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Yohn |first1=Denise Lee |title=Suneel Gupta on What's up with Groupon |url=https://deniseleeyohn.com/suneel-gupta-on-whats-up-with-groupon/ |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=Denise Lee Yohn |date=11 October 2012}}</ref>
In 2013, Gupta founded Rise Labs, a wellness startup that provided nutrition coaching through a mobile app. The company raised $4 million in funding from Google Ventures and Greylock Partners among others,<ref>{{cite news |last1=MacMillan |first1=Douglas |title=One Medical Buys Virtual Nutritionist App Rise |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-DGB-44835 |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=Wall Street Journal}}</ref> before being acquired by One Medical in 2016 for an estimated $20 million.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lynley |first1=Matthew |title=One Medical Acquires Rise, A Nutrition Coaching App |url=https://techcrunch.com/2016/02/05/one-medical-acquires-rise-a-nutrition-coaching-app/ |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=TechCrunch |date=5 February 2016}}</ref> Following the acquisition, Gupta became head of mobile business at One Medical, in addition to continuing in his existing role as CEO of Rise. Subsequently, Rise partnered with First Lady Michelle Obama's nonprofit initiative Partnership for a Healthier America.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chang |first1=Lulu |title=One Medical and Michelle Obama's PHA have a new app to fight obesity |url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/health-fitness/one-medical-and-michelle-obamas-pha-have-a-new-app-to-fight-obesity/ |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=Digital Trends |date=21 May 2016 |language=en}}</ref>
In 2017, Gupta joined venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins as an entrepreneur in residence,<ref name="crains">{{cite news |last1=Nagl |first1=Kurt |title=Entrepreneur Suneel Gupta to run for Trott's seat in Congress |url=https://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20171204/news/646736/entrepreneur-suneel-gupta-to-run-for-trotts-seat-in-congress |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=Crain's Detroit Business |date=4 December 2017}}</ref> and became a visiting scholar at Harvard Medical School, before moving back to Michigan.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Burke |first1=Melissa Nann |title=Democrat Gupta raises $501K in bid to replace Trott |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2018/01/05/democrat-suneel-gupta-congress-fundraising/109181242/ |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=The Detroit News |date=5 January 2018}}</ref>
In late 2017, Gupta announced his candidacy for the 2018 House of Representatives elections in Michigan's 11th congressional district, raising over $1 million in funding for his campaign.<ref name="rediff">{{cite news |last1=Rajendran |first1=Pottayil |title=Why Suneel Gupta is running for US Congress |url=https://www.rediff.com/news/special/why-suneel-gupta-is-running-for-us-congress/20180719.htm |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=Rediff.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Suneel Gupta, brother of CNN's Sanjay Gupta, running for Congress |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/suneel-gupta-brother-of-cnn-s-sanjay-gupta-running-for-congress-118070300269_1.html |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=Business Standard}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Koerth |first1=Maggie |title=Can Science Save Politics? Or Will Politics Ruin Science? |url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/can-science-save-politics/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180806192558/https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/can-science-save-politics/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 6, 2018 |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=FiveThirtyEight |date=6 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Indian-American running for US Congress to fight against growing corporate influence |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/nris-in-news/indian-american-running-for-us-congress-to-fight-against-growing-corporate-influence/articleshow/65278663.cms |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=The Economic Times |date=5 August 2018}}</ref> Gupta came in third place in the Democratic primary with 21.4% of the votes, losing to Haley Stevens who received 27% of the votes.<ref>{{cite news |title=Michigan Primary Election Results: 11th House District |url=https://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/michigan-house-district-11-primary-election |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=The New York Times |date=24 September 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Indian-American entrepreneur Suneel Gupta loses primary elections in Michigan |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/nris-in-news/indian-american-entrepreneur-suneel-gupta-loses-primary-elections-in-michigan/articleshow/65328530.cms |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=The Economic Times |date=8 August 2018}}</ref>
In 2018, Gupta became an emissary for Gross National Happiness between the United States and Bhutan.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rising From Failure: Interview with Suneel Gupta, founder of Rise — Adam Mendler in the Media |url=https://www.adammendler.com/blog/suneel-gupta-founder-rise-backable |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=Adam Mendler |date=23 February 2021}}</ref>
In 2021, Gupta published his first book titled ''Backable'', co-authored by journalist Carlye Adler. The book employs case studies and interviews to identify the qualities that make an individual "backable".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Comerford |first1=Ruth |title=Endeavour bags Gupta's guide to becoming 'backable' |url=https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/endeavour-bags-guptas-career-guide-1225102 |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=The Bookseller |language=En| date=6 November 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Suneel Gupta: 'People who change the world around them aren't just brilliant, they're backable' |url=https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/trends/features/suneel-gupta-people-who-change-the-world-around-them-arent-just-brilliant-theyre-backable-7185881.html |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=Moneycontrol |date=17 July 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Cohn |first1=Alisa |title=How To Be Backable By A Silicon Valley "Failure" |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisacohn/2021/07/23/how-to-be-backable-by-a-silicon-valley-failure/ |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=Forbes |date=23 July 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
After the release of ''Backable'', Gupta became the host of the television series, ''Business Class'', which features Gupta in conversation with notable entrepreneurs. The series entered its third season in 2023, streaming on Amazon Prime Video.<ref>{{cite news |title=3 Things That Will Help You Become a Great Leader in 2022, According to 4 Well-Known Entrepreneurs |url=https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/3-things-that-will-help-you-become-a-great-leader-in-2022-according-to-4-well-known-entrepreneurs.html |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=Inc. |date=25 December 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Suneel Gupta {{!}} Entrepreneur, Author |url=https://www.speakers.ca/speakers/suneel-gupta/ |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=Speakers Spotlight}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Business Class: The Series |url=https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/business/trends-and-insights/solutions/series/ |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=American Express}}</ref>
His second book, ''Everyday Dharma'', was released in 2023 and explores the theme of personal development centered around the Eastern philosophy concept of dharma.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Uda |first1=Rachel |title=Looking For More Joy in Your Job? "Everyday Dharma" Shows Us the Path |url=https://katiecouric.com/lifestyle/workplace/everyday-dharma-suneel-gupta/ |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=Katie Couric Media |date=27 September 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Suneel Gupta: Everyday Dharma |url=https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2023-09-25/suneel-gupta-everyday-dharma |access-date=23 July 2024 |publisher=Commonwealth Club of California |language=en|date=25 September 2023}}</ref>
==Books== * (2021) ''Backable: The Surprising Truth Behind What Makes People Take a Chance on You''. Little, Brown and Company, {{ISBN|978-0316494519}} * (2023) ''Everyday Dharma: 8 Essential Practices for Finding Success and Joy in Everything You Do''. HarperCollins Publishers, {{ISBN|978-0063143883}}
==Personal life== Gupta is married to tech journalist Leena Rao who has written for ''TechCrunch'' and ''Fortune''.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |title=Tech entrepreneur running for Congress in Michigan |url=https://www.axios.com/2017/12/16/tech-entrepreneur-running-for-congress-in-michigan-1513388412 |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=Axios}}</ref> They have two daughters–Sammy and Serena.<ref>{{cite news |title=The Myth of the Midlife Crisis - Chasing Life with Dr. Sanjay Gupta - Podcast on CNN Audio |url=https://edition.cnn.com/audio/podcasts/chasing-life/episodes/2fa5556b-3057-4774-9860-b02900b40292 |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Meditative Story: Embrace every part of yourself, with Suneel Gupta |url=https://meditativestory.com/embrace-every-part-of-yourself/ |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=Meditative Story}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|3648144|Suneel Gupta}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gupta, Suneel}} Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:People from Novi, Michigan Category:21st-century American businesspeople Category:American technology company founders Category:Writers from Michigan Category:American writers of Indian descent Category:American television hosts Category:University of Michigan–Dearborn alumni Category:Northwestern University alumni Category:Candidates in the 2018 United States House of Representatives elections Category:American people of Sindhi descent