Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
How do you build a multi-billion-dollar tech unicorn by completely rewriting a generational, 80-year-old industry?
In this interview, ForbesWomen Editor Maggie McGrath, sits with Ritu Narayan, the co-founder and CEO of Zum, shares the incredible story of how she set out to solve a deeply personal parenting challenge and ended up modernizing the largest mass transit system in America. From her early days of personally driving the school vehicles to navigating a high-stakes pivot from an "Uber for kids" model to the "AWS for student transportation," Narayan explains how she scaled Zoom to over $2.6 billion in total contract value. She also opens up about surviving a crucible moment just three weeks from running out of money, solving the national school bus driver shortage, and why she believes being an "underdog" over the age of 50 is her absolute greatest advantage.
0:00 Modernizing America’s Most Important Commute
3:33 Lessons From The Driver's Seat
8:22 The Pandemic Pivot & $2.6B In Contracts
24:26 Three Weeks Of Cash: The Sequoia Crucible
26:35 Astronaut Dreams & The Underdog Advantage
See the full list on Forbes: forbes.com/50over50
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How do you build a multi-billion-dollar tech unicorn by completely rewriting a generational, 80-year-old industry?
In this interview, ForbesWomen Editor Maggie McGrath, sits with Ritu Narayan, the co-founder and CEO of Zum, shares the incredible story of how she set out to solve a deeply personal parenting challenge and ended up modernizing the largest mass transit system in America. From her early days of personally driving the school vehicles to navigating a high-stakes pivot from an "Uber for kids" model to the "AWS for student transportation," Narayan explains how she scaled Zoom to over $2.6 billion in total contract value. She also opens up about surviving a crucible moment just three weeks from running out of money, solving the national school bus driver shortage, and why she believes being an "underdog" over the age of 50 is her absolute greatest advantage.
0:00 Modernizing America’s Most Important Commute
3:33 Lessons From The Driver's Seat
8:22 The Pandemic Pivot & $2.6B In Contracts
24:26 Three Weeks Of Cash: The Sequoia Crucible
26:35 Astronaut Dreams & The Underdog Advantage
See the full list on Forbes: forbes.com/50over50
Subscribe to FORBES: youtube.com/user/Forbes?sub_confirmation=1
Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more:
account.forbes.com/membership/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=growth_non-sub_paid_subscribe_ytdescript
Stay Connected
Forbes newsletters: newsletters.editorial.forbes.com
Forbes on Facebook: fb.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Twitter: twitter.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Instagram: instagram.com/forbes
More From Forbes: forbes.com
Forbes covers the intersection of entrepreneurship, wealth, technology, business and lifestyle with a focus on people and success.
