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Ritu Narayan named EY Entrepreneur 2026 Bay Area winner
As a regional winner, she will advance to consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 National Awards.
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Bhavana P - Tue, 16, Jun 2026
- 17:20 EDT
- 54
Ritu Narayan / Zum
The US branch of the global professional services firm, EY (Ernst & Young) has named Indian-American business executive Ritu Narayan as an EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 Bay Area Award winner
Narayan, founder and chief executive officer of student transportation technology company Zum, was recognized for her leadership in transforming student mobility through technology and innovation.
Also read: Mihir Shah bags Leadership Award at BostonCIO ORBIE Awards
The award, presented by Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur Of The Year program, honors entrepreneurs and business leaders who demonstrate vision, innovation, growth and long-term value creation. Narayan was selected from among hundreds of nominees by an independent panel of judges comprising former award recipients, CEOs and business leaders.
Narayan founded Zum after encountering transportation challenges as a parent and has since grown the company into a major provider of technology-driven student transportation services. Currently, the company supports more than 4,500 schools across 18 states, helping school districts improve transportation reliability, operational efficiency and student access to education.
Under Narayan's leadership, Zum has developed a technology-first approach to modernizing student transportation through its Connected Mobility Experience (CMX) platform. The platform enables school districts to coordinate vehicles, routes and operations in real time while providing families with greater visibility into student transportation services.
The company has also emerged as a leader in the transition to electric school buses. Zum partnered with the San Francisco Unified School District to launch what it describes as the nation's largest electric school bus deployment and the largest bidirectional vehicle-to-grid school bus fleet.
"When I started Zum, I simply wanted to solve a problem that I experienced firsthand as a parent. I never imagined the scale of impact this journey would have. It is an incredible honor to be recognized alongside such inspiring entrepreneurs who are building companies that are changing industries and improving lives. This recognition belongs to the entire Zum team, whose passion and commitment make our mission possible every day,” said Narayan.
Founded in 1986, the Entrepreneur Of The Year program recognizes leaders of high-growth companies that create economic and social impact. As a regional winner, Narayan will advance to consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 National Awards, scheduled to be presented in November at EY's Strategic Growth Forum.
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