Shantanu Sharma, PhD
Fractional CTO at Sharma Labs
Based in United States · 17+ years experience
Summary
Quantitative Research & Engineering Leader | AI/ML Executive | Ex-Goldman Sachs, Citi, GE Research | PhD, UNC-Chapel Hill | IITK Alumnus
About
I am a multidisciplinary engineering and AI executive with 15+ years of experience at the intersection of deep tech, business innovation, and large-scale product leadership across financial services, life sciences, and enterprise applications.My journey spans technical leadership, quantitative research, and startup growth, with a core focus on leveraging machine learning and automation to solve complex, high-value problems.With a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from UNC Chapel Hill and a B.Tech. in Computer Science from IIT Kanpur, I have built and led cross-functional teams delivering scalable solutions in regulated, data-intensive environments. My published research in multiscale simulations and molecular modeling has been cited 1,200+ times, earning me the EB-1 Outstanding Researcher designation. I am a U.S. Citizen.Professional Highlights:Technical Leadership: Led initiatives at Goldman Sachs, GE Research, and Citigroup, architecting low-latency trading platforms, risk systems, and pioneering AI/ML solutions for imaging genomics and financial analytics.Intelligent Automation: Currently leading strategy and implementation for enterprise clients in compliance-sensitive domains (Financial Services and Life Sciences).0→1 Entrepreneurship: As the exited Co-Founder & CTO of STEM Lending, I built a digital mortgage startup from the ground up, developing an AI-guided service that achieved top-quartile customer satisfaction.Key Expertise:AI/ML & GenAI Strategy | MLOps | AI SafetyFintech and TechBio InnovationCross-Functional Product Leadership | GTM ExecutionSystems Architecture | Scalable SaaS | Cloud (AWS, Azure, GCP)I bring a pragmatic mindset grounded in science, systems thinking, and execution focus. I am fluent in English and Hindi, and a beginner in Mandarin Chinese.Let’s Connect: If you’re working on AI research applied to financial services / life sciences. I’d love to discuss how we can drive measurable business and societal value.Mortgage origination via Morty:
Skills
Software Architecture, Cloud & Infrastructure, M&A / Due Diligence, Platform Modernisation, Cybersecurity, Engineering Leadership, Vendor Management, DevOps, Governance & Risk, Data & AI
Regions covered
Industry experience
Government, Fintech, Professional Services, SaaS, Education, Healthcare
At a glance
Shantanu brings hands-on experience across Software Architecture, Cloud & Infrastructure, M&A / Due Diligence, Platform Modernisation, Cybersecurity, Engineering Leadership and 4 other areas. Available for engagements across North America. Industry experience includes Government, Fintech, Professional Services, SaaS, Education and 1 more.
How fractional CTO engagements with Shantanu work
Shantanu works on a fractional basis — typically one to three days a week for an agreed engagement length — so you get senior technical leadership without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire. Engagements commonly include technical due diligence, board reporting, engineering team leadership, technology strategy, architecture reviews, hiring support, and stepping in as interim CTO during a transition.