Board of Directors

Abhi Gholap

Founder & Chairman

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Abhi Gholap

Founder & Chairman

Abhi is an alumnus of IIT Mumbai and Stanford University Graduate school of Business. He specializes in startups and product management. With over 4 successful startups to his credit as founder, investments in over 9 startups, 14 international patents and an active member of leading angel groups in Bay Area, Abhi handholds startups from ideas to commercialization. Abhi is TiE Silicon Valley charter member and medical advisory board member of Frost and Sullivan.

Over the years, Abhi and the companies he has founded, received a number of awards:

  • 2017: Top 50 Indian Entrepreneurs in USA by Technology Headlines
  • 2016: Inclusion into Cancer Moonshot program
  • 2015: Entrepreneur of the Month recognition by SiliconIndia
  • 2013: Indian Leadership Award for Industrial Development
  • 2012: President’s Gold Lotus National award
  • 2012: Maharashtra State Entrepreneurship Award
  • 2011: RED Herring Asia Business Award
  • 2010: DELOITTE Fast 50 Business Award
  • 2009: Maharashtra State Government's R&D (Innovation) Award
  • 2008: Rajiv Gandhi IT Award
  • 2007: Rotary International Vocational Excellence Award
Abhi is also passionate about films and entertainment with National Gold Lotus award to his debut film project in India.

Dr. Gauri Naik

Co-founder

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Dr. Gauri Naik

Co-founder

Gauri is a biotechnologist with an extensive commercial research and entrepreneurial background. She has extensive experience working in the genetics, cytology, microbiology, molecular biology, medical imaging and bioinformatics fields.

Before founding Optra Systems Inc., she was the founder and principal scientist at BioImagene Inc., a Silicon Valley based digital pathology company which was acquired by Roche Diagnostics.

Gauri was selected as a young scientist for various research programs in biotechnology and microbiology internationally. She has 11 U.S. patents published to her credit. She has published many research papers in international journals and has participated as a speaker in many international conferences. She is on the editorial and advisory boards of many prestigious journals and forums, including the Journal of Applied & Translational Genomics and the International Organization for Rare Genetic Disorders. Gauri was also awarded with the prestigious “Woman Entrepreneur Award" by the government of India.

At Optra, Gauri is responsible for enriching the domain knowledge of her companies, as well as involved in the strategic planning and business development activities.

Prasad Sathe

CFO & Managing Director (India)

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Prasad Sathe

CFO & Managing Director (India)

Prasad is a qualified CPA, CS and CWA, with more than 20 years experience in the IT and Industrial space. His key areas of focus have been Operational Review and Analysis (Project Profitability, Degree of Bench, etc.), Financial Management (Accounts / Audit / Taxation), Legal (STPI, FEMA, etc.), HR, ISO and Secretarial Compliance, thereby contributing to the interests of all stakeholders. He has experience in the Software Field (ITeS), including securing VC Funding, Fiscal Monitoring and Managing Operations of the India Business Unit (Legal, HR, Infrastructure and Admin). He has initiated and successfully implemented the Accounting of Subsidiary Companies on a US-based GAAP (US and India) compliant Package for Seamless Consolidation.