eChai Hosts Top AI Leaders from Meta, NVIDIA, Zoom and Walmart at Zoom HQ in California

eChai Hosts Top AI Leaders from Meta, NVIDIA, Zoom and Walmart at Zoom HQ in California
“There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.” - Michelle Obama
The Women in AI – SF Edition was one of those rare evenings that left us all a little more inspired, a little more hopeful, and a lot more connected.

Curated with deep intention and powered by Zoom Developers and eChai Ventures, we brought together powerhouse of women leaders from Meta , NVIDIA, Zoom, and Walmart to share their journeys—not just in building with AI, but in navigating leadership, responsibility, and community.

Each of these women brought their own light:
Sathiya Panneer (Engineering Lead, Zoom) grounded the conversation with her warm, no-fluff answers. Her realism and quiet strength reminded us that you can lead with empathy and impact.

Syamla Bandla (Senior Director, Production Engineering, Meta) shared details at a scale that made us pause and say: “Whoa.” Her clarity and calm as she spoke about infrastructure and engineering depth was simply masterful.

Rupali Deshpande (AI Learning Specialist, NVIDIA) brought laughter and learning together—sharing how she educates partners on GenAI while keeping the human context alive. (P.S. Don't forget your promise about NVIDIA stocks 😉)

Mamta Suri (Sr. Engineering Leader & AI Evangelist, Walmart) made us reflect deeply. Her concern about the long-term impact of AI on future generations was raw and real. She also dropped wisdom from her recent podcast on ethics and AI that still lingers in my mind.

💜 But beyond the panel, what made the evening unforgettable was the room — filled with women (and allies!) who showed up, supported, and sparked real conversations.

It wasn’t just an event. It was a mirror of what we’re capable of when we choose community over competition.

Huge thanks to eChai Ventures and Jatin Chaudhary for powering this powerhouse.

And to every person who showed up, asked a question, or just listened with intent — thank you. You made this evening truly magical.

Let’s keep showing up for each other. Let’s keep building. Together.

P.S. The last photo says it all — we’re still debating who actually won the “Chai with Khyati” rapid fire round. But honestly, we all walked away with the best prize: each other’s energy. ☕ 💞

Startup Stream

The eChai Effect - In Their Words

“You don’t plan to build a company via eChai. You just keep showing up … and one day, you realize you did.” I’ve known Jatin since 2012, when I was still deciding what kind of second innings I wanted to play as an entrepreneur. Over the years, through events, chai breaks, intros, and seemingly small conversations, eChai helped shape not just Upsquare but also refined the lens through which we see collaboration. At Upsquare, we’ve hired talent, met partners, discovered co-investors, and built lifelong friendships. One of our joint ventures exists today only because a casual eChai memory sparked a deeper trust. Now, as we build House of Starts — our venture builder — eChai continues to fuel our mission: co-creating a shared future. eChai isn’t just a startup network. It’s a trust network. And for business builders like me, that makes all the difference."
Utpal Vaishnav - Founder @ Polynxt (EightQor Capital, Upsquare, House of Starts) • Architect & Capital Allocator
Utpal Vaishnav
Founder @ Polynxt (EightQor Capital, Upsquare, House of Starts) • Architect & Capital Allocator
"eChai has been a game-changer for Hungrito, providing us with invaluable connections, insights, and opportunities that have significantly fueled our growth. eChai has introduced us to a global network of entrepreneurs and experts, fueling our growth and opening doors to new opportunities from Ahmedabad to Dubai. The community has become like a second family to us, providing support, guidance, and valuable insights as startup entrepreneurs."
Sahil Shah - Founder- Hungrito & Netsavvies. Digital Marketing Evangelist
Sahil Shah
Founder- Hungrito & Netsavvies. Digital Marketing Evangelist
"eChai has been a game changer in my journey. It connected me with real people, real support and real opportunities. From building HMMBiz to launching Mindalcove, eChai has played a key role at every step. Grateful to be part of a community that truly believes in growing together."
Hardik Manwani - CTO, Mind Alcove
Hardik Manwani
CTO, Mind Alcove

eChai Partner Brands

eChai Ventures partners with select brands as their growth partner - working together to explore new ideas, open doors, and build momentum across the startup ecosystem.