Pawan Mishra

Pawan Mishra (born 1976) is an Indian-American author, filmmaker, and entrepreneur. He is the founder of the Lune Spark Center for Creativity and Myrtle Nexgen Capital. Mishra is best known for his debut novel, Coinman: An Untold Conspiracy, which was recognized as one of the best independently published fiction books of 2016.
==Early life and education==
Mishra was born in 1976 in Aligarh, India. His father was a high school teacher, and his mother was a homemaker. Mishra grew up as one of seven siblings, developing a passion for storytelling at an early age. He pursued higher education at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Mathematics and Computing.
==Career==
===Finance and Technology===
Mishra has held significant roles in the finance and technology sectors. He started his career in 1999 as a software engineer at DCM Data Systems. He has also served as a technical lead at 3i Infotech Ltd. and a senior consultant developer in J2EE at Fiserv. In 2004, Mishra joined Fidelity Investments, focusing on wealth management and financial planning.
In 2021, Mishra founded Myrtle Nexgen Capital, a private equity firm specializing in emerging markets and decentralized technologies, including cryptocurrency.
===Lune Spark Center for Creativity===
In 2015, Mishra founded the Lune Spark Center for Creativity in Apex, North Carolina. The center aims to provide high-quality art education and foster creativity among students of all ages. After a soft launch during its initial phase, Lune Spark was officially launched in August 2022. The center offers over 30 courses in creative writing, filmmaking, and other arts. Since its inception, Lune Spark has served over a thousand participants and expanded to additional locations in Chapel Hill and Holly Springs, North Carolina, in 2024.
Lune Spark has been recognized with accolades such as the Maggy Award for "Best New Business" by Cary Magazine. The center's students have created award-winning projects, including the short film The Order of the Spoon.
===Lune Spark Young Writers' Short Story Contest===
Mishra also founded the Lune Spark Young Writers' Short Story Contest, an annual international competition promoting creative storytelling by young writers.
===Writing===
In 2015, Mishra published his debut novel, "Coinman: An Untold Conspiracy.” The novel is a satirical portrayal of corporate life in India, centered around the character Kesar, who is known as Coinman due to his obsession with coins. The book has been well received for its humor and insightful commentary on personal identity and bureaucratic challenges within corporate environments.
Mishra is also the author of "On Writing Wonderfully: The Craft of Creative Fiction Writing." 
===Filmmaking===
Mishra has directed and produced creative works, including the short film The Smart Phone Story and the animated series My Teacher Hilda, which is available on Amazon Prime Video.
===Speaking engagements===
Mishra is a frequent speaker at events such as the Bay Area Leadership Meet, where he discussed the "Future of Digital Assets," and has been featured in interviews with Voyager Raleigh and CBS17’s My Carolina Show.
==Bibliography==
* Coinman: An Untold Conspiracy (2015)
* On Writing Wonderfully: The Craft of Creative Fiction Writing (2018)
==Personal life==
Mishra resides in Apex, North Carolina, with his wife, Ritu, and their two daughters, Mitali and Myra.
==References==
==External links==
* Personal website
* Lune Spark
* Myrtle Nexgen
* 
* Pawan Mishra on IMDb
Category:1976 births
Category:Authors
Category:Filmmakers
Category:Entrepreneurs
Category:IIT Kanpur alumni
Category:American people of Indian descent