Praveen Sahay

Praveen is a nuclear physicist and gained experiences in oil exploration, petrochemicals and power industries. Thereafter he took on leadership roles, first becoming an Armed Forces battalion commander, and then with the UNO as National Coordinator (CIVPOL) for the first ever democratic elections in Mozambique, for which he was awarded a UN Peace Medal. For the last 15 years, he has been investing in technology companies. Praveen’s talent lies in identifying technological and business innovations that will catalyze rapid market adoption and generate strong investment returns. He is a member of WAVE’s Investment Committee.

Prior to founding WAVE, Praveen was a Director with VIMAC Ventures, an early stage venture firm, since 1993. Before that, he was an Associate at Updata Partners, an investor in IT and communications startups. He was also a strategy consultant to technology corporations and private equity investors during his tenure at Dean & Company. Praveen has an eclectic set of experiences that include managing mutual fund retail operations, exploring for oil and gas deposits in the Arabian Sea, and leading armed troops as a Deputy Commandant in situations involving threats to industrial safety and security. He was also the National Elections Coordinator (CIVPOL) at the United Nations Operation in Mozambique where he played a key role in the country’s transition to democracy. Praveen has a Bachelor of Science in Physics (Honors) from St. Stephen’s College in New Delhi, a degree in Geophysics from IIT, Roorkee, Master of Science in Nuclear Physics, and Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago.