Nikhil Handigol is a co-founder of Forward Networks, a groundbreaking technology provider of "network digital twin" software that enables large enterprises to achieve reliable, agile, and secure networks. Before starting Forward Networks, Handigol earned his PhD in Computer Science from Stanford University, where he and his colleagues built the foundational pieces of Software-Defined Networking. His research at Stanford focused on using SDN principles for network troubleshooting, network emulation, and load-balancing. Handigol has received the Silicon Valley Business Journal 40 Under 40 Award 2025, the AsiaOne Most Influential Young Leaders Award 2020-21 and the IIT Madras Young Alumni Achiever Award 2022 for his contributions to the networking industry.