Prasoon Kumar
CEO and Co-founder of BillionBricks
Prasoon Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of BillionBricks is a President’s Design Awardee, TEDx speaker and social justice campaigner working towards solving the climate and housing crisis. Prasoon began his career as an architect working in design firms across India, USA, Hong Kong and Singapore.
In 2013, he left his corporate job to start BillionBricks with his previous employer, Anurag Srivastava, who is the founding partner of Jungle Ventures and Space Matrix Group. Driven by the mission to provide everyone with a dignified home, BillionBricks is pioneering the development of the world’s first income-generating, net-zero homes and communities by combining clean energy and large-scale affordable housing into a single financially-viable business proposition.
Under his leadership, BillionBricks has garnered global recognition and numerous awards including the President’s Design Award in Singapore (2020), the ENGIE Innovation Trophy for the Etania Green School (2020), the Global Holcim Commendation Award (2021), the Holcim Asia Pacific Acknowledgement Award (2021), the Influencer Winner at INDE. Awards in Australia (2022), and Finalist for Archdaily’s Building of the Year Award (2022). Prasoon has also been invited by several government officials to present BillionBricks. Notable invitations include those from the Prime Ministers of India, Malaysia, and Mongolia, and the California State Assembly. BillionBricks was featured as one of the prominent startups at the 2022 World Trade Organization’s Public Forum, where Prasoon continues to serve as a Business Advisor to Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
Initially, BillionBricks started as a non-profit in 2013, building shelters, schools, and homes for 5,365 people in nine countries, while also providing relief support to another 10,000. Its first innovation called weatherHYDE, is an award-winning, life-saving emergency shelter that was described by Ashton Kutcher as “innovation at its finest.” In 2020, BillionBricks made a strategic shift to become a for-profit company, enabling them to extend their influence and effect even greater change. Since then, BillionBricks has remained dedicated to its mission, expanding its initiatives and impact.
Prasoon Kumar graduated summa cum laude from Arizona State University with a Master’s of Urban and Environmental Planning, earning an Outstanding Graduate Award. He also held the role of an educator, serving as an adjunct professor at the Singapore University of Technology and Design as well as Ngee Ann Polytechnic. Prasoon is also a winner of Singularity University’s Global Grand Challenge and Urban Land Institute’s 40 under 40. Prasoon holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the School of Planning and Architecture in New Delhi, India.
Work Experience
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April 2020 to present
Co-founder and CEO, Billion Bricks Homes Pte. Ltd, Singapore
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September 2013 to present
Co-founder and CEO, Billion Bricks Ltd, Singapore
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October 2016 to present
Adjunct Professor, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore
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February 2016 to present
Halcyon Fellow, S & R Foundation, Washington DC
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August 2014 to December 2014
Adjunct Faculty, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore
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September 2009 to August 2013
Studio Head/ Head of Urban Design, Space Matrix, Singapore
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April 2009 to August 2009
Senior Consultant, HOK and HOK Sport (Populous), Singapore
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November 2006 to March 2009
Associate, Senior Urban Designer, HOK, Singapore
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January 2006 to October 2006
Intermediate Planner/ Urban Designer, Gruen Associates, Los Angeles
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July 2004 to December 2005
Urban Planner, Swaback Partners, Scottsdale
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August 2003 to May 2004
Co-Studio Instructor, College of Design, Arizona State University
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August 2001 to July 2003
Architect, Space Design Consultant, New Delhi
Lectures
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2020
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Panelist, Habitat Forum (INHAF) ‘Rethinking Cities’, India
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Panelist, Institute of Urban Designers Infinitum Webathon, India
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Panelist, NTU CCA Ideas Fest 2020, Singapore
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Speaker, ESSEC Business School, Singapore
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Speaker, California Assembly, Sacramento Summit, USA
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2019
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Responsible Business Forum, Singapore
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DBS Wealth Planning Symposium 2019, Singapore
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venn2019, Asia Philanthropy Circle, Singapore
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Speaker, Business x Sustainability Conference, The Index Project, Denmark
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STEP Undergraduate Asian Conference, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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Keynote Speaker, Singapore American School Global Issues Network Symposium, Singapore
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Speaker, Canadian International School, Singapore
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Nippon Foundation Conference 2019, Japan
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Circular Lombok, Indonesia
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2018
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Havard Singapore Conference, Singapore
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UBS Philanthropy Conference, Singapore
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361 Degree Conference, India
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Happy Cities Summit, Amravati, India
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UBS China Philanthropy Conference, China
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2017
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Speaker, MIT Pune, India
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Speaker, 4th Global Social Business Summit, Gawad Kalinga, Philippines
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Speaker, The Leadership Vanguard Global Exchange, Xyneto, Singapore
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Speaker, Creative Mornings, Singapore
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Speaker, Hub Singapore x Impact Journalism Day, Singapore
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Speaker, Charis Humanitarian Forum and Fair, Singapore
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Speaker, Singapore International Foundation, Young Social Entrepreneur Mentor, Singapore
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Speaker, Stanford Design Thinking, American School, Singapore
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Speaker, Humanitarian Design Exhibition + Talk, Beyond Building, etc. Lab, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore
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ULI Asia Pacific Summit, Singapore
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DBS Social Morning for Social Enterprises, Singapore
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The Rise of Social Entrepreneurship, Pioneers Club, ESSEC Business School, Singapore
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The Art of Recovery, National Design Center, Venice Biennale, Singapore
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CLUB Talk, Hollandse Club, Singapore
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Panelist, DBS SG Leadership Conference, Singapore
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Speaker, Crowd Funding and Grant Writing Forum, Conjunct Consulting, Singapore
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DBS Insignia Event, Singapore
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2016
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Panelist, NUS International Symposium on Social Entrepreneurship 2016, NUS Business School, Singapore
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Transformational Business Network Asia Conference, Singapore
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Speaker, LinkedIn for Good Speaker Series, Singapore
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favOURite Place, Urban Redevelopment Authority, Singapore
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Adobe Symposium 2016, Tweet for Good, Singapore
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BoP World Convention, Singapore
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Panelist, UN Foundation’s Istanbul and Beyond 2016, USA
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Keynote Speaker, The 8th Annual Global CSR Summit and Awards 2016: Thriving in the New Normal in Today’s Globlized World, Indonesia
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Opportunity Collaboration, Mexico
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ASEAN Impact Challenge
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2015
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Panelist, Future of Us, Singapore
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Panelist, Crowdfunding Asia Summit, Singapore
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Speaker, Singapore with Love, Yishun Junior College, Singapore
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BoP HUB Convention 2015, Mexico
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Moderator & Speaker, Asia Pacific Housing Forum, Hong Kong
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Speaker, International Conference for Young Leaders, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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ASEAN Youth Social Business Summit 2015, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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2014
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Speaker, DBS NUS Social Venture Challenge 2014, Singapore
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Speaker, World Architecture Festival, Singapore
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2013
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MIPIM Award, Best Multi-Family Housing in Asia Pacific Divinity Thane Twin Towers
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2012
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Workshop Expert, “High Density and High Liveability” Workshop Jointly Conducted By Urban Land Institute and Center for Liveable Cities, Singapore
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2011
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Design Critique, Student Workshop on the Redevelopment of Singapore Rail Lands by re:Act, a Singapore -based society promoting dialogues in Asian architecture
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2009
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Speaker, 2nd Asia Pacific Housing Forum, Manila, Philippines
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2008
Speaker, Really Ar, re:Act, Dharavi Evolution, India
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2005
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Paper Presentation, ‘Determining Factors for Operational Efficiency of Public Transportation Systems: A Case of ‘Large’ US Cities’, American Planning Association National Conference, San Francisco, CA.
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Education
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May 2005
Masters of Urban and Environmental Planning, Arizona State University, Tempe, USA, Outstanding Graduate Award, GPA of 3.9
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May 2001
Bachelor of Architecture, School of Planning & Architecture, New Delhi, India, Gold Medal Nominee
Publications
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2019
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Writer, Kumar, P. (October 2019). Affordable Housing Is Not Cheap Housing: A Lesson For Entrepreneurs. Forbes.
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Writer, Kumar, P. (February 2019). Silicon Valley’s Plan B to Tackle Climate Change: Is it really taking us forward towards sustainability?. Impakter.
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2012
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Writer, Kumar, P. (November 2012). Integrating food production in urban landscape looks after cities’ relationship with countryside. Economic Times, Mumbai.
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2011
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Writer, Kumar, P. Integrated Townships Need Integrated Teams to Create Successful Communities. Presented at GIREM (Global Initiative for Restructuring Environment and Management) Leadership Summit.
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2010
Writer, Kumar, P. (September 2010). Will Shrinking Our Wealth Shrink our Footprint?. www.greenwabiii.com, an independent web magazine by MIT, Portugal.
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2009
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Writer, Kumar, P. (October 2009). Globalisation and glocalisation: New strategies for architecture design firms in post economic crisis time. Architecture + Design.
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2005
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Presenter, Kumar, P. (March 2005). Determining factors for operational efficiency of public transportation systems: A case of ‘large’ US cities. Paper presented at the American Planning Association National Conference, San Francisco, CA.
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2000
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Writer, Chitnis, P., Khullar, M., Kumar, P., & Vasuki, A. (2000). Delhi metro: concepts, conflicts and contradictions. Seminars in Architecture, 21-37.
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Project Experience
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Campus
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Campus for an oil major, Bangkok, Thailand, Space Matrix
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Adobe Campus, Noida, India, Space Matrix
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King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia, HOK
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Digital Greens Tech Park Masterplan, Gurgaon, India, HOK
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Heritage
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Konchur Sustainable Village Plan, India Billion Bricks
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Naya Dharavi, India Billion Bricks
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Turtle Island Village Redevelopment, Indonesia Billion Bricks
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Shankeshwar Pilgrimage Village Redevelopment, India Space Matrix
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Dharavi Evolution Rehabilitation Plan, Mumbai, India HOK
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Neemrana Fort Palace Restoration, Rajasthan, India Mosaic
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Srimad Ramachandra Mission Religious Teachings Center Space Matrix
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Institution
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Happy Home School, Sumba, Indonesia Billion Bricks
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Etania School, Malaysia Billion Bricks
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Hope Home Girls Shelter, India Billion Bricks
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India Heritage Center, Singapore Space Matrix
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Mosque at Punggol, Singapore Space Matrix
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Stadium
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New T20 Stadium and Arena, India Populous (HOK SVE)
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Hospital
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Parkway Novena Hospital, Singapore HOK
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City Centre
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Marana Town Center, Marana, Arizona, USA Swaback Partners
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Morongo Civic Center Masterplan, Cabazon, California, USA Gruen Associates
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Single Family Homes
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PowerHYDE, Self-financing solar home, Global Billion Bricks Earthquake Resistant Homes, Nepal Billion Bricks
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Kalani Residence, Indore, India Urbanarc
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Graphic Designer’s Residence, Gurgaon, India Space Design Consul.
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Kumar Residence, Sahibabad, India Architect’s own residence
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Industrial Architecture
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Fibroplast Boat Factory, Noida, India Space Design Consul.
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Interior Design
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Shelter for Homeless Children Billion Bricks
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Bharatiya Office Interiors, Delhi, India Space Design Consul.
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Product Design
WeatherHYDE, emergency shelter, Global Billion Bricks