Parag Agrawal

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Parag Agrawal
Born21 5, 1984
BirthplaceAjmer, Rajasthan, India
NationalityIndian-American
OccupationSoftware engineer, business executive
Known forFormer CEO of Twitter, Inc.; Founder of Parallel Web Systems
EducationStanford University (MS, PhD)
IIT Bombay (BTech)
Spouse(s)Vineeta Agarwala
Children2
AwardsGold medal, International Physics Olympiad (2001)

Parag Agrawal (born 21 May 1984) is an Indian-American software engineer, technology executive, and entrepreneur who served as the CEO of Twitter, Inc. from November 2021 to October 2022. Born in Ajmer, Rajasthan, Agrawal rose through the ranks of Twitter over the course of a decade, joining the company as an engineer in 2011 and ascending to Chief Technology Officer in 2018 before being named CEO by co-founder Jack Dorsey upon Dorsey's resignation.[1] His tenure as CEO was marked by a period of extraordinary upheaval at the company, culminating in Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter in October 2022, at which point Agrawal was dismissed.[2] After departing Twitter, Agrawal founded Parallel Web Systems, an artificial intelligence startup focused on building search infrastructure for AI agents, which raised $100 million in Series A funding in 2025 at a valuation of $740 million.[3]

Early Life

Parag Agrawal was born on 21 May 1984 in Ajmer, a city in the state of Rajasthan, India.[4] His family later relocated to Mumbai due to his father's professional commitments.[4] Agrawal was recognized as an academically gifted student from a young age. His teachers recalled him as a bright and well-organized student with a strong capacity for focus and innovation.[5][6]

Agrawal demonstrated an early aptitude for physics and the sciences. In 2001, he represented India at the International Physics Olympiad (IPhO), where he earned a gold medal.[7][8] This achievement placed him among the top physics students internationally and underscored his scientific talents. His success at the Olympiad helped pave the way for his entry into India's competitive engineering education system.

Agrawal went on to take the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), the highly competitive standardized test used for admission to the Indian Institutes of Technology. He later reflected that he regretted spending time on tying supplementary answer sheets during the examination rather than focusing on solving problems, an anecdote that circulated widely after his appointment as Twitter CEO.[9]

Education

Agrawal pursued his undergraduate studies at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay), where he earned a Bachelor of Technology (BTech) degree in computer science and engineering.[10] IIT Bombay is considered one of the premier engineering institutions in India, and Agrawal's admission there followed his strong academic track record and his performance in the JEE.

After completing his undergraduate degree, Agrawal moved to the United States to pursue graduate studies at Stanford University in California. At Stanford, he earned both a Master of Science (MS) and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in computer science.[10][11] His doctoral research at Stanford focused on topics related to database systems and data management. A publication from Stanford's InfoLab lists his research contributions during this period.[12] His academic background at two of the world's foremost technical institutions provided the foundation for his career in Silicon Valley's technology industry.

Career

Early Career at Twitter (2011–2017)

After completing his doctoral studies at Stanford, Agrawal joined Twitter as a software engineer in 2011.[13] At the time, Twitter was still a relatively young company, having been founded in 2006 and growing into one of the world's most prominent social media platforms. Agrawal's entry into the company placed him in a position to work on the platform's core technical infrastructure during a critical period of expansion.

Over the following years, Agrawal took on increasingly significant roles within Twitter's engineering organization. He worked on a range of technical challenges, including efforts related to the platform's advertising technology, machine learning capabilities, and the scaling of its underlying infrastructure.[14] His progression within the company was noted for its rapidity, rising from a rank-and-file engineer to a senior leadership role in a matter of years.[13]

Chief Technology Officer (2018–2021)

In March 2018, Twitter named Agrawal as its Chief Technology Officer (CTO), succeeding Adam Messinger.[14] At the time of his appointment, he was described as a "distinguished engineer" within the company.[14] As CTO, Agrawal was responsible for overseeing Twitter's technical strategy, including its approach to machine learning, artificial intelligence, and the platform's efforts to improve the health of public conversation on the service.

During his time as CTO, Agrawal played a central role in shaping Twitter's technical direction. He led initiatives related to the platform's algorithmic timeline, efforts to combat misinformation and abuse, and the company's broader data science and machine learning strategy.[1] He also oversaw Project Bluesky, an initiative to develop a decentralized standard for social media that Dorsey had championed.[11] His technical leadership earned him the trust of co-founder and then-CEO Jack Dorsey, who would later point to Agrawal as his chosen successor.[1]

Agrawal's role as CTO was largely behind the scenes, and he maintained a relatively low public profile compared to other technology executives. This changed dramatically when he was elevated to the CEO position in late 2021.[15]

CEO of Twitter (2021–2022)

On 29 November 2021, Jack Dorsey announced his resignation as CEO of Twitter, naming Parag Agrawal as his successor.[16][17] The appointment made Agrawal one of the youngest CEOs of a major publicly traded technology company and one of the few Indian-born chief executives leading a prominent American technology firm.[18] His elevation was widely covered in both American and Indian media, with numerous profiles highlighting his journey from Ajmer to the helm of one of the world's most influential social media platforms.[19][20]

In a statement at the time of the transition, Dorsey expressed his confidence in Agrawal, noting that the board had selected him unanimously and that he had been Dorsey's choice for the role.[16] Agrawal assumed leadership of a company with over 200 million daily active users and a prominent role in global public discourse.

Agrawal's tenure as CEO was dominated by events surrounding Elon Musk's proposed acquisition of Twitter. In April 2022, Musk made an unsolicited bid to acquire Twitter for approximately $44 billion. The resulting months saw a protracted and public series of negotiations, legal disputes, and corporate maneuvering. Agrawal was thrust into the center of one of the most closely watched corporate takeover battles in recent memory, navigating the company through a period of intense uncertainty.

On 27 October 2022, Elon Musk completed his acquisition of Twitter. Upon taking control, Musk dismissed several top executives, including Agrawal, Chief Financial Officer Ned Segal, and head of legal policy Vijaya Gadde.[2] Agrawal's tenure as CEO lasted approximately eleven months.

Severance Lawsuit and Settlement

Following his dismissal, Agrawal and other former Twitter executives, including Segal and Gadde, filed a lawsuit against Musk and X Corp (the entity Twitter was renamed to) seeking approximately $128 million in unpaid severance and other compensation they argued they were owed under the terms of the acquisition agreement.[21] The lawsuit became one of several legal disputes arising from Musk's acquisition of Twitter.

In October 2025, Reuters reported that Musk's X Corp and the former executives had reached a settlement in the severance lawsuit.[21] The specific financial terms of the settlement were not publicly disclosed.

Parallel Web Systems (2025–present)

After his departure from Twitter, Agrawal shifted his focus to the field of artificial intelligence. He founded Parallel Web Systems, a startup focused on building specialized search infrastructure designed to enable AI agents to access and use information from the web more effectively.[3]

In August 2025, it was reported that Agrawal had raised $30 million for Parallel Web Systems. The company's stated mission was to develop a deep research API that could serve as an alternative to existing AI offerings, including those from OpenAI.[22] The company launched a research platform for AI applications around the same time.[23]

In November 2025, Agrawal announced at the Cerebral Valley AI Summit that Parallel Web Systems had raised $100 million in a Series A funding round.[3][24] The round was co-led by Kleiner Perkins and Index Ventures, and it valued the company at approximately $740 million.[25] The funding represented one of the larger Series A rounds for an AI startup, reflecting investor confidence in Agrawal's technical background and the commercial potential of building infrastructure to support AI agents in searching and retrieving web-based data.[26][27]

The company's approach focused on building infrastructure that would allow AI agents to perform deep research tasks on the web, with the goal of outperforming both human researchers and existing AI systems in terms of speed and accuracy of information retrieval.[27] Agrawal's transition from leading a major social media platform to founding an AI startup mirrored a broader trend in Silicon Valley, where many experienced technology executives pivoted to AI ventures during the 2023–2025 period.

Personal Life

Parag Agrawal is married to Vineeta Agarwala, and the couple has two children.[28] Agrawal's parents are based in India, and media reports at the time of his CEO appointment noted the family's roots in Ajmer, Rajasthan, where he was born, before the family moved to Mumbai due to his father's career.[4]

Agrawal has generally maintained a low public profile regarding his personal life. During his time at Twitter, he was not widely known outside of the technology industry prior to his appointment as CEO, and his sudden elevation to the position attracted significant public and media attention to his background and personal history.[15] Indian media in particular covered his appointment extensively, framing it as part of a broader trend of Indian-born executives leading major American technology companies, alongside figures such as Sundar Pichai at Alphabet Inc. and Satya Nadella at Microsoft.[19]

Recognition

Agrawal's appointment as CEO of Twitter in November 2021 attracted international media coverage and was noted as a milestone for Indian-born technology professionals in the United States.[18][19] His career trajectory—from earning a gold medal at the International Physics Olympiad as a teenager in 2001, to studying at IIT Bombay and Stanford, to rising from engineer to CEO at Twitter in a decade—was profiled extensively by outlets including The New York Times, CNBC, Variety, USA Today, and numerous Indian publications.[1][13][11][18]

His gold medal at the 2001 International Physics Olympiad, which was held in Antalya, Turkey, remained one of his most noted early achievements, highlighting his academic distinction before he entered the technology industry.[7][8]

Following his departure from Twitter and the founding of Parallel Web Systems, Agrawal received renewed attention as an AI entrepreneur. The $100 million Series A funding round for Parallel Web Systems in November 2025, at a $740 million valuation, positioned him as one of the more prominent former technology executives to enter the AI startup space.[3][24] His announcement of the funding at the Cerebral Valley AI Summit generated coverage from technology and business publications, underscoring his continued relevance in the technology industry.[26]

Legacy

Parag Agrawal's career has been defined by two distinct chapters: his rapid rise within Twitter and his subsequent pivot to AI entrepreneurship. His decade-long ascent from a newly hired engineer to CEO of Twitter is one of the more notable career trajectories in recent Silicon Valley history, achieved in a period when the company grew from an emerging social media platform to a central venue for global political and public discourse.[13]

His appointment as Twitter's CEO placed him in the company of a small but growing group of Indian-born executives leading major American technology companies. This trend, which also includes Sundar Pichai at Alphabet and Satya Nadella at Microsoft, has been the subject of significant commentary in both American and Indian media about the role of immigrant talent in the U.S. technology sector.[19][10]

Agrawal's tenure as CEO was cut short by one of the most consequential corporate takeovers in the history of the technology industry. The acquisition of Twitter by Elon Musk, and the subsequent transformation of the company into X Corp, meant that Agrawal's leadership period was defined more by the circumstances of his departure than by the opportunity to implement a long-term strategic vision.[2]

His post-Twitter career with Parallel Web Systems signals a shift toward building foundational AI infrastructure. The company's focus on enabling AI agents to search and retrieve information from the web addresses a growing need as AI systems become more autonomous. The scale of the company's early fundraising suggests that investors view Agrawal's technical expertise and executive experience as significant assets in the competitive AI landscape.[3][27]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Who Is Parag Agrawal, Twitter's New C.E.O.?".The New York Times.2021-11-29.https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/29/technology/parag-agrawal-twitter.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Elon Musk now in charge of Twitter; CEO and CFO have left, sources say".CNBC.2022-10-27.https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/27/elon-musk-now-in-charge-of-twitter-ceo-and-cfo-have-left-sources-say.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 "EXCLUSIVE: Parag Agrawal's Parallel Web Systems Raises $100 Million to Help AI Agents Search the Web".Newcomer.2025-11-12.https://www.newcomer.co/p/exclusive-parag-agrawals-parallel.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Shifted to Mumbai due to father's job, currently residing in America".Dainik Bhaskar.https://www.bhaskar.com/local/rajasthan/ajmer/news/shifted-to-mumbai-due-to-fathers-job-currently-residing-in-america-parents-will-come-to-ajmer-on-4th-129167519.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  5. ↑ "Bright student, well organised: How teachers remember IIT-Bombay alumnus, Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal".News18.https://www.news18.com/news/education-career/bright-student-well-organized-how-teachers-remember-iit-bombay-alumnus-twitter-ceo-parag-agarwal-4503176.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  6. ↑ "Parag Agrawal was a typical topper, had focus and innovation: Teachers".The Indian Express.https://indianexpress.com/article/education/parag-agrawal-was-a-typical-topper-had-focus-and-innovation-teachers-7650086/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "India — Individual Results".IPhO Unofficial.https://ipho-unofficial.org/countries/IND/individual.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Indians bag 5 medals at Physics Olympiad".The Times of India.https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/indians-bag-5-medals-at-physics-olympiad/articleshow/1375985964.cms.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  9. ↑ "When Parag regretted wasting time tying IIT JEE supplements".The Times of India.https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/when-parag-regretted-wasting-time-tying-iit-jee-supplements/articleshow/87993348.cms.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "Parag Agrawal becomes Twitter CEO: Who is Parag Agrawal?".India Today.2021-11-29.https://www.indiatoday.in/technology/features/story/parag-agrawal-becomes-twitter-ceo-who-is-parag-agrawal-here-is-a-brief-profile-of-this-iitian-in-5-points-1882270-2021-11-29.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 "Who Is Parag Agrawal? Meet the New Twitter CEO".Variety.2021-11-29.https://variety.com/2021/digital/news/who-is-parag-agrawal-twitter-ceo-1235121367/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  12. ↑ "Stanford InfoLab Publication".Stanford University.http://ilpubs.stanford.edu:8090/1053/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 "Parag Agrawal went from Twitter engineer to CEO in just 10 years".CNBC.2021-11-30.https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/30/parag-agrawal-went-from-twitter-engineer-to-ceo-in-just-10-years.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 "Twitter taps distinguished engineer Parag Agrawal as new CTO".CNBC.2018-03-08.https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/08/twitter-taps-distinguished-engineer-parag-agrawal-as-new-cto.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Who is Parag Agrawal, the new CEO of Twitter?".Business Insider.2021-11-29.https://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-parag-agrawal-new-ceo-of-twitter-indian-american-2021-11.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey is expected to step down".CNBC.2021-11-29.https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/29/twitter-ceo-jack-dorsey-is-expected-to-step-down-sources-say.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  17. ↑ "Jack Dorsey steps down as Twitter CEO; Parag Agrawal to be the new CEO".The Times of India.https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/international-business/jack-dorsey-steps-down-as-twitter-ceo-parag-agrawal-to-be-the-new-ceo/articleshow/87988800.cms.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 "Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey steps down; successor is Parag Agrawal".USA Today.2021-11-29.https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2021/11/29/twitter-ceo-jack-dorsey-steps-down-successor-parag-agrawal/8793643002/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 "Who is Parag Agrawal, Twitter's new CEO".The Economic Times.https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/who-is-parag-agrawal-twitters-new-ceo/articleshow/87996878.cms.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  20. ↑ "Things to know about new Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal".News18.https://www.news18.com/photogallery/tech/things-to-know-about-new-twitter-ceo-parag-agrawal-from-iit-bombay-4501832.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "Musk's X settles ex-Twitter executives' $128 million severance pay lawsuit".Reuters.2025-10-08.https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/musks-x-settles-ex-twitter-executives-128-million-severance-pay-lawsuit-2025-10-08/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  22. ↑ "Former Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal Raises $30M For Parallel Web Systems To Challenge OpenAI GPT-5 With Deep Research API".Yahoo Finance.2025-08-25.https://finance.yahoo.com/news/former-twitter-ceo-parag-agrawal-203114297.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  23. ↑ "Startup led by Parag Agrawal launches research platform for AI applications".SiliconANGLE.2025-08-14.https://siliconangle.com/2025/08/14/startup-led-parag-agrawal-launches-research-platform-ai-applications/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 "Former Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal's AI startup Parallel raises $100M".SiliconANGLE.2025-11-12.https://siliconangle.com/2025/11/12/former-twitter-ceo-parag-agrawals-al-startup-parallel-raises-100-million/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  25. ↑ "Former Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal's new startup, Parallel Web Systems".LinkedIn.2025-11-12.https://www.linkedin.com/posts/analytics-india-magazine_former-twitter-ceo-parag-agrawals-new-startup-activity-7394607179896426497-xdcJ.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 "How Parag Agrawal's Parallel Web Systems Raised $100m for AI".AI Magazine.2025-11-19.https://aimagazine.com/magazines/parag-agrawals-parallel-web-systems-raises-100m-for-ai.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 "Inside Ex Twitter CEO's $100M Funding for New AI Startup".Business Chief.2025-11-14.https://businesschief.com/news/inside-ex-twitter-ceos-us-100m-funding-for-ai-startup.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  28. ↑ "This is why Twitter's new CEO Parag Agrawal kept his son's name Ansh".MSN.https://www.msn.com/en-in/entertainment/bollywood/this-is-why-twitters-new-ceo-parag-agrawal-kept-his-sons-name-ansh/ar-AARnbgT.Retrieved 2026-02-24.

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