Woodside resident Vinita Gupta’s new memoir is a journey of firsts

For more than three decades, Woodside resident Vinita Gupta has been a trailblazer. Now, she is sharing her extraordinary journey in her memoir, The Woman in Deed: Road to IPO, Bridge Tables, and Beyond.

Vinita’s life is a story of firsts. After earning her Master’s in Engineering from UCLA — where she was the only woman in her class — she went on to make history in 1994 as the first woman of Indian origin to take a company public in the United States. At a time when women were rare in engineering, and rarer still as tech founders, her rise from engineer and patent-holder to Silicon Valley CEO forms the heart of her memoir.

Her journey, however, did not end with technology. After stepping away from her business career, Vinita pursued competitive Bridge, honing her skills at the Palo Alto Bridge Club and going on to win multiple National Championships. She also turned to painting, finding joy and meaning in creating portraits of her family. “I am not an artist,” she says, “I paint for a purpose. Painting my family members gives me that.”

Family and community are central themes in her story. She and her late husband moved to Woodside from Atherton, buying a rustic property once owned by Apple’s John Sculley. “We were highly educated but with empty pockets from India,” she recalls. “We are so grateful to this country for receiving us with open arms and giving us the opportunity. Our lives turned into a dream here.”

Her book also celebrates the collaborative culture of Silicon Valley, where people “came out of the woodwork” to support one another. She remembers troubleshooting products with Cisco’s Len Bosack at HP’s Palo Alto office, meeting his co-founder Sandy Lerner, then her neighbor at a Halloween party, and later Sandy selling the house to IDEO founder David Kelley. She also credits mentors like Atherton resident Dick Elkus for their invaluable guidance.

While not directly involved in her company, venture capitalist Bill Draper helped introduce her to Silicon Valley’s investment community. In endorsing her memoir, Draper writes: “In this extraordinary memoir, Vinita Gupta shows what bold thinking and lifelong learning can accomplish. Her story is a beacon for entrepreneurs — and a tribute to the values that built Silicon Valley.”

Even as she built her career, Gupta remained deeply committed to her family. Together with her husband, she cared for both their mothers in their final years, while balancing the demands of raising two daughters and leading two public companies.

“It was a hard journey,” she reflects, “but one filled with gratitude.”