Shaji Varghese is the Chief Executive Officer of the Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, a Technology Business Incubator housed at IIT Bombay (SINE IITB). He has close to three decades of experience covering private equity & venture capital (PE&VC), startup consulting and capital market operations. A strong believer of the power of technology and innovation in economic development, he has led investments in technology startups, early-stage ventures and small & medium enterprises operating across different industries and business segments. His passion for technology and innovation has led him to work closely with the startup founders and senior management of his portfolio companies in deploying innovative solutions and emerging technologies to address business challenges and build capabilities. He also led several initiatives at the portfolio company level, viz. improving operational efficiency, working on business strategies, implementing business turnarounds, and employing ESG for sustainable business. He is very active in the startup ecosystem. He is a member of Apex Committee of S&T PRISM, Ministry of Mines and sits on the board of SMILE, the business incubator of Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM). Prior to joining SINE IITB in February 2022, he worked as an independent consultant and mentor to startups and early-stage ventures, working with founders on funding raising, planning & executing business plans and managing merger & acquisition transactions. He holds a graduate degree in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from Kerala University and Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration with a specialization in Finance and Marketing. He is also a certified Chartered Financial Analyst (India).