Vikram Bajaj is the scientist-entrepreneur now leading Project Prometheus with Jeff Bezos (Photo: File)
Jeff Bezos return to active leadership in the tech world has brought with it an unexpected partnership. His new venture, Project Prometheus, will be co-led by Vikram "Vik" Bajaj is a scientist whose career blends deep research, entrepreneurship and work at the intersection of AI and biotechnology. With Prometheus already backed by over $6 billion, the move signals the arrival of a major player in the race to build advanced AI systems for real-world engineering.
Vikram Bajaj is a US-based scientist-entrepreneur known in Silicon Valley for shaping various influential biotech and AI-driven companies. Recognised for bridging hard science with data-driven innovation, he has built a reputation for taking lab research into commercial applications.
Bajaj received a BA/MS in Biochemistry from the University of Pennsylvania, followed by a PhD in Physical Chemistry from MIT. He then went to UC Berkeley for postdoctoral work, further solidifying his foundation in molecular science and advanced analytical techniques.
He began his career as a principal investigator at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. For the ensuing decade, he moved effortlessly between academia, corporate R&D and startup leadership, contributing to projects that combined biology, chemistry and artificial intelligence to solve complex health and engineering problems.
In his time at Alphabet, Google's parent company, Bajaj had co-founded Verily and became its Chief Scientific Officer, while also serving in the role of a director at Google X, an organization that helped develop models for AI-enabled health platforms. His interest in scientific education and applied research continued through advisory positions at UC Berkeley and Genomics England.
Project Prometheus is an ambitious new AI company reportedly aimed at building systems that apply advanced models to physical engineering tasks, including robotics, manufacturing and industrial automation. It intends to merge AI with real-world problem-solving at a scale few startups have attempted.
As Co-CEO, Bajaj will be tasked with guiding all scientific and technical strategy. While Bezos will shape business and investment priorities, Bajaj will lead research directions, oversee engineering teams and build the infrastructure required to support Prometheus' large-scale ambitions.
Corporate filings put the estimated net worth at about Rs. 6.7 crore from listed holdings. In reality, his financial standing is bigger than this estimate, including startup equity and venture partnerships.
Among the many scientific contributions of Bajaj are the:
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Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available information and intended for general informational purposes only.
