Andrew Miller, an associate professor in electrical and computer engineering at Illinois with an affiliate appointment in computer science, was among the faculty members at Illinois who left a lasting impression on Pant, shaping how he thought about research, technology and the possibilities beyond the classroom. Miller serves as associate director of the
Initiative for Cryptocurrencies and Contracts (IC3), sits on the board of the
Zcash Foundation and has served as an adviser to Zcash. “Andrew Miller was one of my most foundational influences at the University of Illinois, and I owe him a great deal for making that path legible to me,” Pant said. With deep experience in cryptocurrency, Miller is known for translating academic research into practical, business-oriented applications—an approach he demonstrated through projects such as Flashbots, Zcash and Tezos.
Beyond Miller, several other instructors and figures in the computer science community also left an impression on Pant during his time on campus. Rick Barber, a former teaching assistant for CS 361, made the jump from Illinois to Silicon Valley feel achievable through his own path. Steve LaValle, a computer science professor, showed in his lectures how deep technical work could evolve into something like Oculus. Jeff Erickson, the Sohaib and Sara Abbasi Professor of Computer Science, had a reputation as a campus legend that left a strong impression, even though Pant never took his class.
Having lived in some of the largest cities, Pant says that Urbana-Champaign stripped away much of the noise and distraction and gave him time to focus on reading, thinking and building, which proved unexpectedly valuable. Being outside a dominant tech hub made it easier for him to form independent views and commit to ideas early, before they became consensus. At the same time, Illinois always attracts talented people from around the world. The university holds a deep meaning for his family—Pant’s sister also attended, making the connection personal rather than just academic. It was not simply a school he attended, but a place that helped shape who he became.
Illinois is a lasting part of my family's story, not just a campus. — Niraj Pant
Pant’s gift will establish the Pant Family Scholarship, a merit-based scholarship for undergraduate students majoring in computer science, with preference for those pursuing frontier areas of computing such as cryptography and blockchain, artificial intelligence and machine learning, robotics and autonomous systems, systems and foundational computing research, quantum computing or synthetic biology. Pant also plans to advise the school on engaging with Silicon Valley. He hopes to connect students and faculty with startup formation, frontier technology networks and founder pathways. The gift aims to help the Siebel School of Computing and Data Science identify emerging frontiers early and translate research into startup opportunities. Pant highlighted ideas such as a structured alumni fellowship that brings successful founders back to campus, exposes students to real Silicon Valley execution and signals that research paired with entrepreneurship can be a viable, high-upside path.
“Mentoring is about compressing years of trial and error into a handful of high-signal conversations,” Pant said.
Rather than ceremonial connections, Pant advocates for functional networks built around recurring small groups, office hours, joint projects and a strong pay-it-forward culture, potentially supported by physical hubs in places such as New York and San Francisco. Reflecting on his own experience, he noted that the most durable value from Illinois came from repeated, substantive interactions with other Illini.
Pant’s advice to current students is to stay on the frontier while they can, using their time at Illinois to explore classes, internships and side projects without immediate economic pressure.
"Surround yourself with curious, high-agency people early," Pant said. "They reveal paths you wouldn't see alone. Prioritize environments where learning and responsibility compound quickly."
This same mindset carries into his advice for building a successful business: focus on creating something genuinely proprietary, whether through novel technology, unique data, or innovative incentive design—rather than imitating existing winners. The most enduring companies, he believes, challenge assumptions and unlock new markets or behaviors, and they are built by world-class teams that execute pragmatically, adapt quickly, and understand the business as it truly operates.
In an industry that rarely slows down, Pant is intentional about stepping away from screens and into the outdoors. A free day for him looks less like optimization and more like recalibration — hiking, running, swimming, lifting and skiing. For Pant, the goal isn’t productivity for its own sake but returning to a mental baseline that allows him to think clearly and sustainably.
Looking ahead, Pant is less concerned with titles or locations than with the substance of the work and the people around him. Over the next five years, he hopes to build alongside an exceptional team on difficult, frontier problems — creating systems that last and environments where talent and execution compound over time. If the work is challenging and meaningful, he believes the rest will fall into place.
"I'm a sci-fi guy," Pant said. "I like building the future. I find the status quo incredibly boring."