{"id":20995,"date":"2026-04-10T17:07:19","date_gmt":"2026-04-10T21:07:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/?p=20995"},"modified":"2026-04-10T17:07:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T21:07:20","slug":"leading-tech-industry-pioneer-investor-to-headline-upcoming-presidential-lecture-on-april-30","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/2026\/Q2\/leading-tech-industry-pioneer-investor-to-headline-upcoming-presidential-lecture-on-april-30","title":{"rendered":"Leading tech-industry pioneer, investor to headline upcoming Presidential Lecture on April 30"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. \u2014 Leading tech-industry investor, engineer and digital multimedia pioneer Bruce Leak, the co-founder of Silicon Valley venture capital firm Playground Global, will join Purdue University President Mung Chiang on April 30 as part of the university\u2019s Presidential Lecture Series<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Leak lecture, titled \u201cEngineering the Future,\u201d is at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 30, in Stewart Center\u2019s Fowler Hall. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, but a ticket is required. For tickets and more information, go here. The Purdue Convocations clear bag policy<\/a> is in effect for the event.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Purdue President Mung Chiang<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Leak\u2019s pioneering work has helped define key moments in modern computing, from early multimedia software to today\u2019s most ambitious deep tech companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leak<\/a> is a founding partner at Playground Global<\/a>, a Palo Alto, California-based venture firm that supports entrepreneurs working at the frontiers of science and engineering. Playground backs technical founders tackling complex challenges across the future of computing, automation, energy and engineered biology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He worked on the first version of Microsoft Word while still an undergraduate. He began his career at Apple, where he led development of key Macintosh graphics technologies that helped lay the foundation for QuickTime, the most widely adopted digital video platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leak later helped build several influential startups at the intersection of computing, media and communications, including General Magic and WebTV, the latter of which brought internet services to the television and was later acquired by Microsoft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His entrepreneurial work reflects a career defined by building teams that are passionate about inventing the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Playground, Leak supports efforts spanning from humanoid robots and AI brain surgeons to reengineering photosynthesis and using the ocean as a grid-scale battery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When not in the office, he can be found kayaking and paddleboarding along coastlines near and far, looking for rare flora and fauna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leak graduated from Stanford University with bachelor\u2019s and master\u2019s degrees in electrical engineering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In January, Purdue announced a four-dimensional connection to Silicon Valley<\/a> that deepens its research and industry engagement through partnerships with leading technology companies. The presence of Purdue in the Bay Area also is designed to strengthen engagement with the university\u2019s large alumni community there. The announcement was made at and in partnership with Playground Global, which will provide physical space for multiple Purdue units.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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