Headline

Tech capability development(AI and Emerging tech), Merkle - Dentsu Global Services | Mentor at Lydnow Edutech Pvt Ltd | 40 U 40 AI Builder ‘26 | TiE Nurture 10.0

About

I'm a tech capability development professional and an edupreneur interested in designing unique hands-on learning experiences through innovation and better engineering. I have more than a decade's experience in facilitating capability development and technology training. In my current role, I lead research and development teams within Dentsu Global Services - Merkle to help develop delivery capabilities, across practices, in AI and emerging Tech. I work with clients to map applications of emerging tech into their business processes and also oversee delivery projects for these technologies. I build scalable processes to ensure predictable outcomes are delivered with L&D and up skilling activities. Converting research and development into delivery capabilities within a technology company is the most thrilling part of what i do. At Lydnow Edutech, I mentor 10 select students every year and facilitate a strong initiation into Robotics, AI, Drones, 3D printing technologies. I also support teachers and schools towards building self sustained ecosystems in STEM education and training. I look forward to connecting with people interested in technology, education, and business development.

Location

Pune

Work experience

Senior Manager - AI and Emerging Tech (Merkle - DGS) at Dentsu Global Services, Jul 2025 - Present · 1 yr 2 mos, Pune, Maharashtra, India, With Extentia completing its integration into Merkle as a part of Dentsu Global Services, I continue to build the applied AI practice within the wider eco-system. I ensure that engineering and delivery capabilities stay continually at par with advances in the AI domain, leading strategic initiatives and collaborating with multiple teams. I continue to provide technical consulting for AI within pre-sales processes and provide technical solution approach consultation on delivery projects as an AI SME. Within I lead execution for AI SDLC acceleration initiatives collaborating with leadership teams from multiple technology practices. I also focus on thought leadership, business growth, and AI project portfolio expansion across practices, working with engineering, sales, and leadership teams for organic clients and Dentsu-Merkle market clients across geographies. I continue to support learning and development frameworks for the Salesforce practice within the customer experience and commerce(CX&C) practice within DGS-Merkle. I closely work with the DGS L&D team supporting the curation of AI skill development programs and conducting annual skill hackathons as an AI SME.

STEM Mentor at Lydnow Edutech Pvt Ltd, Jun 2022 - Present · 4 yrs 3 mos, Pune, Maharashtra, India, I continue to mentor young students through my tailored STEM mentoring programs over weekends. I work one on one with only 6 selected students every year and work towards their accelerated growth in Robotics, 3D Printing, Drone development, Programming, elementary ML and AI. My mentoring programs span over 2-3 years and my goal remains to build solid foundations for students aspiring to build careers in technology, moving forward. I also consult schools, teachers who require support for STEM ecosystems within their institutes, on a strictly non-commercial basis.

Manager - Technical Capability Development at Extentia Information Technology, May 2023 - Aug 2025 · 2 yrs 4 mos, Hybrid, I managed tech capability development at Extentia, with a primary focus on AI and Salesforce. I built and lead a technical research and development team responsible for building the AI delivery capabilities within the company. The team focussed on integrating Machine Learning and Generative AI workflows into customer experience and commerce projects. The team also worked on internal SDLC process accelerators using AI led solutions. We also built and delivered multiple training programs focussed on up skilling the existing workforce ranging from AI awareness to facilitating delivery proficiency with AI. I also lead pre-sales efforts for AI solutions and thereon consulted on multiple delivery projects on the solution approach and architectures. I also worked closely with the salesforce delivery teams within the company to plan and facilitate predictable up skilling initiatives for employees. I supported multiple initiatives to seed and grow the AI capabilities within the Salesforce Stack. I structured the operational framework of stepping stones graduate training programs to deliver a conversion of 90+ %, by fine tuning the intake, program management, and resource deployment processes. I managed the certifications growth plan for the Salesforce practice and was able to increase certifications by 3X for the large practice through structured program management approaches.

Consultant - Tech capability development at Extentia Information Technology, Aug 2022 - Apr 2023 · 9 mos, Pune, Maharashtra, India, I was working with the team at Extentia towards designing and implementing structural improvements within the various learning and development initiatives that the company conducted towards training fresh talent in salesforce developement, quality assurance, and business analysis. I worked towards fine tuning how the company recruits the right talent into its training programs, built very structured experiences and outcomes for each program, and was able to significantly impact the performance of these programs.

Founder-Director at Lydnow Edutech Pvt Ltd, Jul 2015 - Apr 2022 · 6 yrs 10 mos, Pune Area, India, Lydnow is a STEM education company that facilitates deep learning experiences for young adults with STEM. I was responsible for developing and scaling K12 curriculum development across the domains of Robotics, Drone development, 3D printing, and elementary AI. I lead research and development in Robotics and automation aimed at modelling scalable industry relevant control systems for educational settings. I also worked closely on training the teaching staff who implemented our learning programs across 5 centres of learning, in Pune, and online. I lead several student teams to winning robotics competitions at prestigious institutes, including IIT Bombay. Lydnow’s programs are designed to facilitate early age and Hands-on technology education that complement academic growth. The overall experience has been designed and evolved over years to facilitate: - Critical Thinking - Problem Solving - Innovation - Communication - Team work - Self leadership and flexibility During my journey with Lydnow, I also worked with educational institutions and facilitated corporate trainings. I watched over STEM lab setups for our partner institutes and supported tailored curriculum development and teacher training programs. After growing Lydnow for a decade, i decided to take on a slower approach to my technology education pursuit via focused mentoring programs.

Founder at Lydnow Training and Innovations LLP, Mar 2012 - Jul 2015 · 3 yrs 5 mos, Pune, Maharashtra, India, Lydnow Training and Innovations LLP provided training services to professionals in personal development with NLP and STEM education courses to young adults, primarily in the Pune region.

Education

Executive PG Diploma - AI and Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay

Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.), Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering, Savitribai Phule Pune University