Shashi is a businessman, political activist and philanthropist. He was the co-founder and CEO of Apex CoVantage, a global IT services company started in 1988 and sold in 2021. Apex was founded on the belief that business should be a force for good, not greed; and on a set of core values – integrity, human dignity, and excellence – which were woven into the fabric of the company from its inception. A lifelong democrat, Dr. Gupta became focused on electing Democrats in Virginia and across the country from 2016.

He was a co-founder of WinVirginia which was instrumental in flipping 15 seats in the Virginia state house in 2017 using innovative election strategies and technology. In 2020, alarmed by the rising autocracy and racism, he pivoted to supporting organizations that are working to protect American democracy. Dr. Gupta is also the Chairman of the Gupta Family Foundation which supports over 40 organizations worldwide that are dedicated to helping individuals suffering some form of handicap to become self-reliant. He holds an MBA and Ph.D. from Michigan State University.