From Vellore to Silicon Valley: How an Indian Engineer Became Chief of Staff at a Y-Combinator Backed Startup

Akash Suluru’s inspiring journey from Vellore Institute of Technology to Chief of Staff at DianaHR showcases his dedication to innovation and growth in the tech industry. His experience includes impactful roles in financial inclusion and digital transformation, highlighting a new generation of Indian professionals in Silicon Valley.

For many engineering students in India, the traditional path is clear - complete a B.Tech, sit through on-campus placements, and secure a job with a major corporation. But for Akash Suluru, an engineer from Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), the journey was anything but conventional. Today, at just 25, he serves as the Chief of Staff at DianaHR, a Y Combinator W24 startup backed by General Catalyst, Liquid2 Ventures, and founders of unicorn companies like Mercury, Twitch, and Dropbox.

His journey from VIT to Silicon Valley reflects a mix of persistence, curiosity, and a relentless drive to build and grow businesses at scale.

Breaking the Placement Mold

Akash’s story begins at VIT, where, unlike most of his peers, he started interning as early as his second year of B.Tech. While many students focused on coursework, Akash was intent on gaining real-world experience. Through networking and off-campus applications, he secured roles at companies such as Reliance Jio, Acko, BetterPlace, and Gojo & Company.

“I realized very early that waiting for the final-year placement cycle would limit my options,” he recalls. “So I decided to go off-campus, hustle my way into opportunities, and build a portfolio of real impact.”

The gamble paid off. By his Third year, Akash had received a pre-placement offer from Gojo & Company, a Tokyo-based financial inclusion startup. He joined as an Associate Product Manager, bypassing the entire on-campus recruitment process.

Driving Financial Inclusion at Gojo

At Gojo, Akash quickly proved his mettle. He worked on digital financial solutions for underserved populations in Cambodia, India, and Sri Lanka. He was part of the core team behind the Silatech–Gojo partnership, a global initiative launched at UNESCO in Paris that brought financial services to more than 89,000 youth entrepreneurs. Later, he contributed to the Pasio programme with the Education Above All Foundation, supporting over 81,000 youths with income-generating loans and digital literacy tools.

“It was eye-opening,” says Akash. “I wasn’t just working on abstract product roadmaps - we were creating real impact, helping young entrepreneurs build businesses and livelihoods.”

For his contributions, he received multiple Spotlight Awards for Initiative and Innovation, cementing his reputation as a product operator with both vision and execution.

A Scholar and Strategist at Carnegie Mellon

With his growing interest in the intersection of technology, business, and innovation, Akash set his sights on graduate school. In 2023, he was admitted to Carnegie Mellon University’s prestigious Master’s in Engineering & Technology Innovation Management (ETIM) program with a scholarship.

Even before arriving in the U.S., Akash began preparing for internships, reworking his résumé and seeking mentorship from senior product leaders. By October 2023 - three months before the program started - he had four internship offers in hand, including from Toyota Industries North America, Belden, CAS and more.

He ultimately joined Toyota, where he worked on digital transformation projects and applied Toyota production system principles for continuous improvement.

From FlowState AI to DianaHR

Post-CMU, Akash took on the role of Founding Product Growth Lead at FlowState AI, a San Francisco–based enterprise AI startup. There, he built the go-to-market (GTM) engine from scratch, defining ideal customer profiles (ICPs), designing outreach systems, and leading multi-industry campaigns. His frameworks boosted reply rates and landed enterprise conversations with WarnerBros, JLL, CBRE, Condé Nast, and Monster Energy.

“It wasn’t just about sending cold emails,” he explains. “It was about crafting targeted messaging, running A/B tests, and building a repeatable growth playbook that could scale.”

In mid-2025, Akash joined DianaHR as Chief of Staff, stepping into a role that spans GTM strategy, business operations, and partnerships. DianaHR is pioneering a new model for HR: combining AI automation with human expertise to take compliance, payroll, onboarding, and back-office work off the plates of startup founders.

Even during his initial work trial at DianaHR, Akash demonstrated his knack for GTM by bringing in paid customers through innovative targeting strategies. By identifying the right buying signals and tailoring outreach, he helped validate the product’s appeal in real-world conditions. Since then, he has been instrumental in shaping DianaHR’s growth strategy, building founder communities, and driving operational excellence.

“What excites me here is the opportunity to work on the hardest back-office problems founders face, while scaling a YC-backed company with incredible speed,” he says.

The Common Thread: GTM, Product Strategy, and Growth

Across each role — from VIT internships to Gojo, Toyota, FlowState, and DianaHR — Akash’s contributions have consistently revolved around GTM strategy, product growth, and innovation. He has launched 3+ global products, built frameworks that scaled startups across AI, fintech, Ed-tech and SaaS, and driven strategic initiatives while building a growing network of resourceful and influential leaders in the startup ecosystem.

His career also includes recognition from selective programs like Beta University (Cohort 8) and ElevateA 2025, the latter backed by the U.S. Economic Development Administration. Both highlight him as a founder and innovator with the ability to bridge India and Silicon Valley.

Looking Ahead

Akash’s story is not just about moving from Vellore to Silicon Valley - it’s about the mindset of building, learning, and executing at every stage. Whether creating financial access for thousands of underserved youths, saving Fortune 500 companies millions through digital transformation, or scaling YC-backed startups, his journey underscores the rise of a new generation of Indian professionals shaping global tech.

“Titles and companies matter, but what excites me is the impact,” he says. “For me, it’s always about building systems that work, scaling ideas that matter, and helping teams grow faster.”