About

Shantanu Gaur is an experienced Innovation Manager and Startup Ecosystem Lead at NASSCOM CoE for IoT & AI. With over 15 years of relevant experience, he has developed a strong understanding of the startup ecosystem and has been instrumental in catalyzing co-innovation. At NASSCOM, Shantanu is responsible for creating a pipeline of deeply curated startups and performing product and business due diligence as per the incubation philosophy. He manages program management, which includes organizing events like product dev sprints, hackathons, and startup showcases. He also delivers value to the enterprises in the co-innovation program by analyzing their internal problem statements and shortlisting deeply curated startups to co-develop and deploy proof-of-concept (PoCs). Shantanu also liaises with central and state governments for key approvals, resource utilization MIS, and pilot opportunities for open innovation projects. Shantanu has previously worked as an Innovation Manager and Startup Ecosystem Lead at NASSCOM CoE for AI & IoT, where he had similar responsibilities. He has also worked as an Investment Manager at thinQbate, a registered family office and corporate startup incubator based out of Mumbai. Here, he was responsible for deal sourcing and product and business due diligence, analyzing enterprise co-development requirements, and enabling pitching sessions for incubatees with angel investors, microVC firms, and other investment platforms. Shantanu holds an Engineer's Degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from YMCA University of Science & Technology, Faridabad, and a High School degree in Science from Apeejay School. He has a strong tech stack in AI and Data Science. Overall, Shantanu is a well-rounded professional with a deep understanding of the startup ecosystem and a proven track record of catalyzing co-innovation. He is a valuable asset to any organization looking to innovate and grow.