Deepakraj “Deepak” Divan, Professor Emeritus at the Georgia Institute of Technology and founder of its Center for Distributed Energy, has been named a National Academy of Inventors (NAI) Fellow. Divan is known for his contributions to power electronics and grid transformation, holding more than 85 U.S. and international patents and having authored 400 refereed publications.
Divan’s work on soft-switching converters has played a role in the development of efficient energy storage, electric vehicle charging, and industrial controls. These innovations have contributed to the growth of a global $70 billion power electronics industry. He also developed foundational technology for grid-forming inverter control, which allows for higher integration of renewable energy sources into power grids.
In addition to his academic achievements, Divan co-authored “Energy 2040: Aligning Innovation, Economics and Decarbonization,” recognized by Forbes as one of the “10 Essential Books and Podcasts Every Leader Needs in 2025.” He commented on his recent honor: “Being named an NAI Fellow is a tremendous honor,” said Divan. “It reflects years of effort to rethink how electricity is delivered and managed to solve real problems and to drive practical innovations that matter.”
As leader of Georgia Tech’s Center for Distributed Energy, Divan directed research aimed at improving electricity delivery through analytics, monitoring, and optimization. His entrepreneurial efforts include co-founding Varentec—supported by Bill Gates and Khosla Ventures—and launching or seeding ventures such as GridBlock, Soft Switching Technologies, Innovolt, and Smart Wires. Collectively these initiatives have raised over $500 million.
Divan is also recognized as a member of the National Academy of Engineering and an IEEE Fellow.
