Teja Padala
Corporate Strategy & Ops | Product Strategy | VC Associate | Ex-Founder ($1.8M ARR)| AI-Driven Business Builder | UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA ’26
- Role
- Venture Capital Associate at Excelerate Health Ventures
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC, US
- LinkedIn followers
- 500 followers
About Teja Padala
AI & Strategy leader with 8+ years delivering enterprise transformation, product strategy, and cross-functional program execution across Fortune 500 and venture-backed companies. I specialize in translating ambiguous problems into scalable, AI-driven solutions that create measurable business impact.I’ve delivered $20M+ in outcomes across strategy, operations, and AI execution: • EssilorLuxottica: Led AI transformation reducing escalation volume 40%($7M savings) while shaping CX, Ops, and IT workflows and governance. • Tekwinn (Founder): Scaled a consulting firm to $1.8M ARR, building AI-enabled workflow playbooks used by 20+ clients and generating $7.2M in savings. • Rite Aid & Fannie Mae: Designed predictive ops, automated workflows, and cloud modernization that improved throughput up to 40% and reduced regulatory risk by $500K. • Venture Capital: Built AI-driven sourcing, market intelligence, and diligence frameworks shaping an $80M digital health portfolio.My work sits at the intersection of AI strategy, product thinking, operational transformation, and venture. I’m passionate about designing systems, workflows, and solutions that drive sustainable AI adoption and competitive advantage.Currently an MBA Candidate at UNC Kenan-Flagler (’26). g••••••••@kenan-flagler.unc.edu, T••••••••@gmail.com | Always open to connecting with operators, product leaders, and AI builders.
Experience
Venture Capital Associate
Aug 2025 — Present · Durham, NC, US
Conducted early-stage due diligence across multiple inbound deals by analyzing decks, term sheets, customer calls, and business model assumptions; synthesized key risks and investment questions for partner review.• Building Excelerate’s first AI-powered LP Prospecting Engine framework, including data model, confidence-scoring system, workflow stages, and initial mockups for sourcing $2–10M family offices.• Supported Huma.AI’s M&A strategy by evaluating 20+ medical affairs consultancies and synthesizing buyer-side pain points from enterprise customer calls (Qiagen) to refine acquisition filters and product thesis.
Education
University of the Cumberlands
Master of Science - MS
UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School
Master of Business Administration - MBA
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Master of Science - MS
GITAM Deemed University
Bachelor of Engineering - BE
2010 — 2014
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