Carleton Alumnus Establishes Scholarship to Support Student Innovation

Deepak Kamra, alumnus of Carleton University’s Bachelor of Commerce program, is supporting student innovation and entrepreneurship at Carleton University through the establishment of a new scholarship.

The Kamra Family Scholarship in Innovation will be awarded annually on the recommendation of the dean of the Sprott School of Business, in consultation with the director of Carleton’s Innovation Hub, to an outstanding undergraduate student who demonstrates a commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship

“Carleton University started me on my path towards innovation and entrepreneurship,” said Kamra, BCom/78. “With this new scholarship I am glad to have a chance to help start other students down that path.”

“We are extremely grateful for Deepak Kamra’s support of student-led innovation at Carleton University,” said Dana Brown, dean of the Sprott School of Business. “Deepak is an inspiration to all of our students. Not only is he highly successfully in his career, but he also embodies the principle of living and working with purpose. And, it all started here at Carleton University.”

Kamra graduated from Carleton with a Bachelor of Commerce in 1978, and he went on to complete his MBA at Harvard University. He started his career in the telecom software industry, which led to founding a startup and a successful IPO.

Now based in San Francisco, Kamra is a General Partner at Canaan Partners, a global venture capital firm with over $6 billion under management. He invests in a spectrum of technology companies, with particular expertise and focus on marketplaces, aerospace and enterprise software. He has been ranked on the Forbes Midas List twice, and is a former member of the board of directors of the National Venture Capital Association.

Born in India, Kamra is a passionate advocate for immigration and its importance to innovation. He serves on many boards, including Social Investment Managers and Advisors (SIMA), which oversees innovative funds that deliver commercial returns to investors as well as social and environmental impact to developing countries.