“Transformational”: AirTrunk’s Robin Khuda donates $100 million for women in STEM
AirTrunk CEO and founder Robin Khuda has donated $100 million to the University of Sydney to boost women in STEM.
Odds are when AirTrunk founder Robin Khuda moved to Australia as a 19-year-old international student to pursue an accounting degree, he would not have imagined that years later he would donate a record $100 million to the University of Sydney to boost women in STEM.
But that’s Khuda for you – a man who is fast becoming the face of what it is to be a South Asian Australian founder.
From AirTrunk’s blockbuster $24 billion acquisition by US private equity group Blackstone and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, to the company’s massive $65,000 end-of-year bonuses to its employees, Khuda has been in the headlines for all the right reasons.
Taking to LinkedIn on Wednesday, Khuda said the ground-breaking $100 million program in partnership with the University of Sydney will “create a pathway for Western Sydney youth into STEM education and careers”.
The three-stage program will involve 40,000 students from Year 7 and will consist of tutoring, mentoring and scholarships at the university level.
“Over the past 10 years building AirTrunk, I’ve seen firsthand the need for more people with STEM skills and the under-representation of women in STEM education and the workforce. Diversity in STEM is crucial to enable innovation, problem-solving, and creativity,” he said.
“Our ambition is to make a long-term and life-changing impact, helping build a diverse pipeline of STEM-qualified people to help meet the 1.2 million tech jobs needed in Australia to keep us at the forefront of technology.”
Khuda’s $100 million donation will make it one of the largest investments in women in STEM in Australia and globally. It is also the largest public philanthropic donation by a South Asian in Australia’s history.
However, the AirTrunk CEO told the Australian Financial Review that he “wasn’t working towards any specific number”.
The founder’s family previously set up the Khuda Family Foundation in 2020 with over $1 million earmarked to support women in STEM.
But AirTrunk’s acquisition, which left Khuda $1 billion dollars in green, would have played a major role behind the huge dollar figure.
“Following AirTrunk’s acquisition by Blackstone late last year, it’s the perfect time for me to be able to contribute to something I’m really passionate about – providing the resources, inspiration and opportunities needed for more people, particularly women, to pursue a career in STEM,” Khuda said in his post.
Commenting on the donation, professor Mark Scott, vice-chancellor and president of the University of Sydney, said the move “will lead to a generational change in addressing diversity, skills and participation in STEM”.
“Robin Khuda came to the University with a challenge he knew we cared deeply about – the lack of gender diversity in STEM and of opportunities and support for students to pursue their interest in STEM studies and careers. We’ve worked together in close collaboration to create this program and forge this partnership, which will create life-changing opportunities for girls and women from Western Sydney,” he added.
South Asian Australian startup community lauds Khuda’s generosity
The news of Khuda’s massive donation has sent the local South Asian Australian community in a flurry — sparking equal parts surprise and delight.
Hema Prakash, co-founder and CEO of Ponti Health, said the aspect of the donation that got her to “put on her reading glasses at 5am this morning” was Khuda’s focus on the western suburbs of Sydney — an area with a burgeoning South Asian population. It’s a move that she called “masterful”.
“I love that he’s actually geographically calling out for access to this program and to the dollars because that’s where the population growth is, especially for the migrant population,” she said, highlighting how such support can go a long way for women in STEM.
“Women make up 51% of the population, and you need that equitable access… that’s what Robin Khuda’s incredible philanthropic step has done, so kudos to him,” Prakash said.
Sandeep Varma, founder and CEO of SAARI Collective, a media startup and community for South Asian Australians, said Khuda has always wanted to “impact future generations and this donation is a reflection of these values and a catalyst for the next generation of female founders”.
This is especially relevant because “South Asian founders often start with very little, working hard and getting community help along with way,” he added.
Vinisha Rathod, managing director at p3studio, shared similar sentiments, saying the program “will create a ripple effect for many who are overlooked, breaking cycles that continue to perpetuate amongst women, especially in ethnic minorities, and address the critical need for diverse thinking in tech”.
Khuda’s move will show the “startup community what is possible” and founders and investors should take note of how they can be part of the change, she added.
Sangeeta Mulchandani, founder of Jumpstart studio said, “Working with hundreds of women through our programs, we know first-hand that access to funding and support can be a game-changer for women’s career trajectories”.
Khuda’s $100 million commitment to women in STEM will help unlock the next wave of innovation, she added.
“This investment has the power to create more women leaders in STEM, fuel women-led deep-tech startups, and drive economic growth. But beyond that, it will lead to breakthrough technologies, more diverse problem-solving, and a future where the next world-changing innovation—whether in AI, biotech, or space tech—could come from a woman who finally got the opportunity she deserved.
“Bold actions like this are exactly what we need to build a more inclusive, competitive, and forward-thinking future,” Mulchandani said.
Raj Bagri, CEO and co-founder of Kapture, said: “Robin is an example of the kind of impact-driven leadership the world needs. Investing $100 million in women in STEM isn’t just philanthropy—it’s a catalyst for innovation, diversity, and a stronger future for all”.
According to Bagri, the opportunity will help break barriers and drive progress for all women in STEM and Khuda deserves “huge respect for this commitment”.
Arjun Agarwal, founder of Inaam and a portfolio manager at KPMG High Growth Ventures, said, “seeing a donation of this quantum from a migrant into a native educational institution to support true systemic and generational change is refreshing and impactful”.
He further added that objectively tracking the outcomes of this 20-year program will “really prove to be a game-changer”.
“Australia has always needed a higher level of risk tolerance in capital allocation and deployment both for investment purposes and philanthropic injections The Khuda Family Foundation backing STEM for women as early as Year 7 resonates with Reed Jobs’ approach at Yosemite to make cancer non-fatal in our lifetimes.
“More of this and hopefully a Khuda Family Office soon to support the bleeding-edge ideas that come from these budding STEM geniuses,” he added.
Rashid Khan, CEO and co-founder of Evacovation, said apart from providing crucial support in critical areas, the news underscores the potential and impact South Asian Australians can have, not just in business, but in contributing to the broader community.
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