Navrina Singh wins Wisconsin Alumni Association’s 2026 Luminary Award

# Indian American AI Leader Navrina Singh Honored With 2026 Luminary Award

Indian American technology entrepreneur Navrina Singh, founder and CEO of Credo AI, has been named one of the recipients of the Wisconsin Alumni Association’s 2026 Luminary Award. The honor recognizes University of Wisconsin-Madison alumni whose achievements and leadership serve as an inspiration to others.

Singh studied electrical and computer engineering at UW-Madison and has built a career at the intersection of technology, artificial intelligence and responsible innovation. Through Credo AI, she is working to help organizations understand, manage and reduce the risks associated with increasingly powerful AI systems.

Her journey into technology began in India, where her parents played an important role in shaping her ambitions. Singh has described her mother’s career transformation from teaching to fashion design as an early inspiration, while her father’s long career in the Indian military helped develop her strong sense of service and community.

With support from her family and a scholarship, Singh moved to the United States to pursue higher education. She quickly became involved in research at UW-Madison and worked as a teaching assistant while completing her graduate studies.

Singh was initially drawn to hardware engineering because of its ability to turn ideas into real-world technology. She went on to spend more than a decade at Qualcomm, working in research and development and contributing to wireless technologies and infrastructure that became important components of modern mobile devices.

Her career later took her to Microsoft, where she shifted her focus toward software and cloud computing. It was during this period that Singh began thinking more deeply about the broader implications of artificial intelligence and the responsibilities that come with developing powerful new technologies.

Those questions eventually led her to establish Credo AI in 2020. The company develops technology designed to help organizations govern, measure and monitor their AI systems while keeping up with evolving regulations and international standards.

Singh’s work extends beyond her company. She serves on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee and has contributed her expertise to international discussions on AI through organizations including the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the United Nations.

Her approach to AI focuses not only on identifying potential risks but also on imagining how technology can positively shape society. Singh has emphasized the importance of building AI systems that remain trustworthy, responsible and centered on human needs.

The Luminary Award adds another milestone to a career that has taken Singh from India to one of the world’s most influential technology ecosystems. Her recognition reflects both her achievements in AI governance and her broader efforts to encourage responsible technological innovation.

As artificial intelligence continues to transform industries and everyday life, Singh’s work highlights a growing need for technology that advances innovation while maintaining accountability, transparency and human values.