RPI Names Quest Global's Ajit Prabhu 2026 Entrepreneur of the Year

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship has named Ajit Prabhu, Co-Founder and CEO of Quest Global, as the recipient of the 2026 William F Glaser '53 Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

The award recognizes RPI graduates who have built successful entrepreneurial careers and contributed to their respective industries. Prabhu earned the honor for co-founding and leading Quest Global, a global engineering services company serving customers across multiple sectors.

Under Prabhu's leadership, Quest Global has expanded its operations to more than 20 countries, operating 104 delivery centres with a workforce exceeding 23,000 employees. The company provides engineering services and solutions across a range of industries.

Dr Eric Ledet, Director of RPI's Severino Center, praised the choice. "Ajit is an entrepreneur whose experience across diverse sectors reflects commitment to innovation and positive business impact. We challenge our students to think big, and Ajit exemplifies this mindset with a passion for solving complex engineering problems," Ledet said.

Prabhu said the recognition carries particular weight because of his history with the institution. "RPI is where my entrepreneurial journey began, and this recognition means a great deal to me. We started Quest Global with a simple but powerful belief: that engineering can address complex challenges. I hope our story shows the next generation of engineers and founders that thinking big, staying humble, and never giving up is the only way to build something that truly matters," he said.

The William F Glaser '53 Entrepreneur of the Year Award dates back to 1990. It recognizes RPI graduates who have achieved success as entrepreneurs and serve as examples for students and aspiring founders. The annual award also gives honourees a platform to share their professional experiences with students and discuss the challenges and opportunities tied to entrepreneurship.

The ceremony for the 2026 recipient takes place in October at the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) theatre on RPI's campus in Troy, New York.

Quest Global positions itself as a global leader in engineering services, working on some of the world's most complex engineering challenges. The company has more than 25 years of experience and, by its own account, operates in more than 17 countries with over 83 delivery centres worldwide and a headcount of more than 21,000. Its work spans industries including aerospace, automotive, energy, healthcare and semiconductor. Quest Global partners with companies to deliver faster, more effective solutions to their most pressing problems.

The differing operational figures — 20-plus countries, 104 delivery centres and 23,000-plus employees in the award citation versus 17 countries, 83 centres and 21,000 employees in the company profile — reflect different snapshots of Quest Global's scale.

Through the Severino Center, RPI supports technological entrepreneurship and connects students with entrepreneurs, business leaders and innovators. The center, established to support entrepreneurship at RPI, gives students access to resources, networks and practical exposure to building technology-driven businesses.

For Prabhu, the award marks a return to where his entrepreneurial journey began. The October ceremony will bring him back to campus to engage with students and the wider RPI community — and to make the case that engineering can address complex challenges.