Apoorva Mehta Speaking Fee: $50,000 to $75,000

Apoorva Mehta is best known as the innovative founder and former CEO of Instacart, the renowned grocery delivery service that fundamentally altered how people shop for daily necessities. Born in India, Mehta moved to Canada with his family at a young age, where he showed early signs of a proclivity for technology and business. He pursued these interests academically, earning an engineering degree from the University of Waterloo. His educational journey set the stage for his initial career in the tech industry. Before Instacart, Mehta honed his skills with distinguished companies such as Blackberry and Qualcomm. However, it was his tenure at Amazon that catalyzed his entrepreneurial spirit. While working as a Supply Chain Engineer, he observed firsthand the transformative potential of e-commerce, which sparked the idea that would eventually lead to the founding of Instacart in 2012. Driven by a desire to solve everyday problems using technology, Mehta wanted to create a service that would bridge the gap between local grocery stores and busy consumers. Launching Instacart was not without its challenges. The venture started in Mehta's San Francisco apartment, where he rebounded from multiple failed startups. Nevertheless, his undeterred commitment paid off. Instacart rapidly scaled from a scrappy startup to a household name, backed by significant venture capital funding. Mehta's strategic partnerships with major grocery chains were pivotal, facilitating Instacart's expansion across North America and solidifying its position as a leader in on-demand grocery delivery. Under Mehta’s leadership, Instacart not only thrived, but it also transformed the grocery industry at a crucial time. With an intuitive app and scalable infrastructure, the platform proved indispensable, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic when demand for home delivery services soared. Mehta's vision and execution brought grocery delivery to the forefront of daily life, reshaping consumer habits and expectations in a profound way. After stepping down as CEO in 2021, Mehta continues to exert his influence as executive chairman, focusing on strategic initiatives and the long-term vision of the company. With a genuine passion for innovation and an impressive track record, Apoorva Mehta remains an influential figure in the tech and entrepreneurial spaces. His story is one of resilience and foresight, continually inspiring the next generation of innovators who aim to make a meaningful impact.