Spandan Dan Saha
Chief of Staff & Strategic Finance Lead at SquarePeg
Leading strategic finance and operations at an AI-focused firm while mentoring founders in the deep-tech space.
Intro
I'm Spandan Dan Saha, currently serving as the Chief of Staff & Strategic Finance Lead at SquarePeg. My journey has taken me from an engineering background to co-founding Quadshotz—the first Indian drone startup to reach an exit—and through various strategic roles at UNICEF, Accenture, and Alumni Ventures. I consider myself a 'Force Multiplier' for startups and VCs, providing the operating leverage needed to scale through strategic finance and GTM strategy. I am deeply passionate about deep-tech, AI, and climate investing, and I spend a significant amount of my time mentoring founders through Techstars and the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center. Whether we're discussing how to get a startup 'VC ready' or the latest in AI strategy, I'm always looking to connect with people who are building the future.
Networking
What I can offer
- ›Operating leverage in growth and strategy
- ›Mentorship on becoming VC ready and fundraising
- ›Expertise in financial modeling and due diligence
What I'm looking for
- ›expanding my professional network
- ›exploring mutual opportunities in the deep-tech and AI investment space
Best fit for
Focus
Current interests
Core competencies
Background
Career
Transitioned from engineering to co-founding an acquired drone startup, followed by roles in finance and consulting at UNICEF and Accenture, eventually specializing in venture capital and strategic finance at Alumni Ventures and SquarePeg.
Education
MBA from Yale School of Management; MBA from Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB); BTech in Electronics and Communications Engineering from Heritage Institute of Technology, Kolkata.
Achievements
- ›Co-founded Quadshotz, the first Indian drone start-up to be acquired
- ›Won the United Nations Public Services Award in 2015
- ›Supported investments in over 600 companies at Alumni Ventures
Opinions
- In entrepreneurship and investing, you need to be right only once!
- Failure is a necessary step to learn how to pick ourselves up
- Man poses. Nature discomposes — a humble view of human effort compared to nature
Personality
Communication style
Professional yet punchy, using high-impact descriptors and pop-culture metaphors.
Formality — 6/10
Vocabulary