Meet Rakesh Srivastava, Founder and CEO @ Innovative Prosthetics & Orthotics.
Innovative Prosthetics & Orthotics offers custom prosthetic and orthotic care, including onsite fabrication and healthcare services. Areas of interest include prosthetic limbs, cranial helmets and post-mastectomy products.
Srivastava has worked closely with the Nebraska Business Development Center and the University of Nebraska at Omaha Department of Biomechanics. His team, consisting of researchers out of UNO and the University of Nebraska Medical Center, recently received a National Institutes of Health grant to develop a liner that reduces the risk of infection for people with limb loss.
Bot check: The fun five
1. Thing you can’t live without:
My wife, Anchala, might jokingly say golf, but the real answer is my family. She is my love, partner, biggest supporter and best friend. When you move to another country to pursue a dream, having family with you makes all the difference.
We have three talented children — our sons, Rishav and Abhinav, and our daughter, Shreya. We love the Hastings community and are proud to have called Nebraska home for nearly 30 years.
2. Favorite book or last book you read:
I listen to audiobooks while driving between our offices in Omaha, Grand Island and Hastings. I’m especially drawn to stories of amputees overcoming challenges and entrepreneurs building something meaningful.
I also return to the Bhagavad Gita, whose teachings offer perspective on purpose, perseverance and service to others.
3. Something most people don’t know about you:
Many people don’t know that I’m an amputee — or that I love to sing and listen to country music. At age 10, following a tragic accident in India, I underwent an above-knee amputation of my left leg.
Learning to navigate life as an amputee brought physical and emotional challenges, but that experience ultimately became the foundation of my life’s work: helping others regain mobility, confidence and independence.
4. If money wasn’t an object, your next company would be…
A company dedicated to making advanced prosthetic and orthotic care affordable and accessible worldwide, with Nebraska at the center of 3D-printing innovation. Becoming an amputee at age 10 set me on a path to help others walk again, and I would keep building on that purpose.
5. App/SaaS/AI you’re obsessed with and why:
ChatGPT! I enjoy using it for everything from creating fun retro photos — including my ’80s look — to planning trips and getaways with my family. It helps me explore ideas, but it also brings a little creativity and fun into everyday life.
I use Claude for research, learning how it can help me in my business.
What inspired you to become an entrepreneur or support other entrepreneurs?
Since I was about 10 years old, I’ve wanted to make life better for others. Coming to America was part of that dream: an opportunity to write my own story and build something meaningful.
That purpose led me to Innovative Prosthetics & Orthotics, where helping someone walk again or hold their child makes the work deeply personal. It also led to SHABRI, our 3D manufacturing company, where we explore new ways to help people facing limb loss, mobility challenges and disabilities.
What drives me is helping people see what is possible — to regain confidence, build independence and continue living a fulfilling life.
What advice would you give yourself if you could go back in time to when you were just starting out?
Build professional relationships earlier, and don’t assume you have to do everything yourself. Connecting with people who bring different skills and perspectives can help you make better decisions and move forward.
I would also encourage myself to be more strategic while staying open to opportunities. I still give myself that advice today: Take one meaningful, actionable step every day. Progress comes from consistently doing the work.
How can the Nebraska community support you?
Ask questions, learn about our work and help us connect with people who want to contribute. Advancing prosthetic technology takes a team — clinicians, researchers, engineers, educators, entrepreneurs and the people who use these devices.
I also want to help more young people discover prosthetics and biomechanics. Their curiosity deserves encouragement, mentorship and opportunities to solve real problems. By connecting students with this work, Nebraska can help develop the next generation of innovators who improve lives.
