Sachin Kelkar

About Sachin Kelkar

Experienced and results-driven technology leader with over 15 years of success in building high-impact developer ecosystems, strategic partnerships, and innovation programs across Asia. I specialize in driving engagement across AI (including GenAI), IoT, cloud platforms, and enterprise software by aligning engineering, product, and go-to-market teams to accelerate adoption and ecosystem growth. At Intel, I led developer relations and ecosystem initiatives across India, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia, scaling the Intel Developer Program to deliver 100% YoY growth. I have successfully built and led cross-functional teams in developer evangelism, marketing, and academic outreach, while launching regional programs like AI Academy and oneAPI, impacting 50+ universities and 70+ partner organizations. My core strengths include program management, partner development, and community engagement — from nurturing early-stage startups to mentoring university talent and enabling strategic design wins with global system integrators and cloud providers. I also bring experience in cost optimization, having pioneered engineering outsourcing models for AI/IoT that reduced costs by 50%. I’m passionate about building ecosystems that bridge innovation, industry, and academia — and thrive in roles that require collaboration, creativity, and a bias for action.

Experience

1. Head Apj Developer and Partner Program

   Intel

   Oct 2008 — Present · Mumbai, IN

   Directed a 10+ member cross-functional team spanning Developer Evangelism, Marketing, and Account Management across Asia-Pacific; achieved 100% YoY growth in Intel Developer Program impact while successfully establishing and scaling country operations in Korea, Japan, Indonesia, and India.Championed GenAI developer engagement by building a robust enablement framework that empowered startups and developers to build innovative use cases using Intel Cloud Services and hardware platforms.Launched and scaled AI Academy programs across Singapore, Taiwan, and India, upskilling talent and fostering collaboration across 50+ top-tier universities. Spearheaded the oneAPI Academic program in the region, driving curriculum integration, student ambassador networks, and a flagship Center of Excellence at CDAC India.Forged strategic alliances with 25+ universities and 70+ software firms, directly contributing to 50% of Intel’s global AI goals. Led AI & IoT solution enablement teams, delivering 20 design wins and generating over $50M in revenue impact.Engineered a first-of-its-kind outsourcing model for AI and IoT, achieving a 50% cost reduction while enhancing agility through access to specialized engineering talent.Built strategic partnerships with leading cloud providers, system integrators (TCS, Wipro), and ecosystem bodies (NASSCOM), accelerating joint go-to-market initiatives and collaborative innovation across the ecosystem.Served as Technical Program Manager for Intel’s flagship \"Innovate for Digital India\" startup accelerator; mentored early-stage companies in AI, Mobility, IoT, and Design Thinking, fostering product-market fit and ecosystem traction.

Education

• Shivaji University

  BE, Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering

  1988 — 1992

• SVKM's Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS)

  MMS, Marketing

  1993 — 1995