Ajay Y.

Otto AI

CEO & Co-Founder

Simplified

Investor

Co-Founder

Forbes

30 under 30

Contributor

EvaBot Inc.

Advisor

Roomi

Founder

Roomi is a free website & app making it safer & easier to search for room rentals, sublets & roommates.

Forbes Real Estate Council

Founding Member

DADA Room

Chief Executive Officer

WEVE Acceleration (formerly NUMA New York)

Mentor

HuffPost

UPRISE Festival Europe

Now, I’m back in the founder seat, focusing on building a vertical AI SaaS startup. I will be building this venture in public, sharing my experiences and insights on growth and revenue strategies along the way.

In 2021, I co-founded Simplified, an AI-driven platform designed to support SMB marketing teams with content creation, distribution, and collaboration in one place. We raised over $14M from Khosla Ventures and Craft, scaled to over 17 million users.

I began my entrepreneurial journey as a solo founder, building a marketplace in New York to help people find roommates. This venture raised over $20M in capital, grew to over 5 million users, and reached profitability.

Cummins Inc.

•	Led cross-functional collaboration across design, manufacturing, and quality teams to accelerate product development timelines by 15%, ensuring alignment from concept through launch.
•	Redesigned components using advanced DFM/DFA principles, leading to a 20% reduction in manufacturing costs while enhancing product reliability.
•	Conducted supplier quality reviews and drawing audits, reducing drawing errors by 25% and minimizing downstream rework.
•	Applied structured problem-solving tools (8D, 5 Whys, RCA) to eliminate recurring quality issues, delivering a 30% drop in product defects and 15% fewer customer complaints.
•	Directed prototype builds and testing, enabling a 10% faster time-to-market and smoother design validation.
•	Implemented cost-saving initiatives (material substitution, process optimization) resulting in 10% material cost savings without compromising functional performance.
•	Supported engineering change management (ECM) processes to ensure seamless product updates across manufacturing and supplier ecosystems.

Product Engineering Specialist – Manufacturing & Engineering Optimization | DFM | Six Sigma

•	Bridged the gap between design and manufacturing, reviewing new product designs for manufacturability (DFM) and recommending process-optimized design changes, reducing time-to-production.
•	Collaborated with global suppliers and local manufacturing teams to support rapid prototyping and ensure production readiness, minimizing delays during early product builds.
•	Resolved critical design issues on-site at supplier locations and plant facilities, leading to smoother SOPs and enhanced line stability.
•	Implemented and maintained an Engineering Change Management (ECM) system, streamlining approval workflows and improving response time for design updates across global sites.
•	Managed deviation approvals and waiver processes, ensuring compliance with design intent and manufacturing standards without impacting delivery timelines.
•	Led cross-location alignment on recurring manufacturing challenges, driving global standardization and knowledge-sharing across teams.

Product Engineer – DFM | Engineering Change Management | Supplier Integration

Emerson Climate Technologies

•	Implemented advanced GD&T principles to interpret complex part drawings and enhance inspection precision, achieving a 98% first-pass yield and reducing inspection time by 15%.
•	Developed and maintained metrology programs using advanced tools (CMMs, gauges, etc.), ensuring zero downtime in measurement systems and increasing team productivity by 20% through training and SOP improvements.
•	Led continuous improvement initiatives by applying Root Cause Analysis (RCA), 8D, and 5 Whys methodologies, resulting in a 30% reduction in defects and a 20% improvement in process efficiency.
•	Managed Engineering Change Notices (ECNs), reducing change integration time by 25% while maintaining product reliability across manufacturing lines.
•	Resolved customer complaints through cross-functional collaboration, reducing line rejections by 15% and enhancing overall customer satisfaction scores.

Quality Assurance Engineer – GD&T | Metrology | Root Cause Analysis | ECM

•	Designed and developed custom tooling and fixtures, increasing production capacity by 20% and meeting target line output rates.
•	Led line balancing and cycle time reduction initiatives, boosting line efficiency by 30% and reducing cycle time by 10% using Lean tools and time-motion studies.
•	Implemented Poka-yoke (error-proofing) systems across critical assembly stations, cutting human errors by 25% and improving first-time-right quality.
•	Executed capital manufacturing projects from concept to SOP, delivering all projects on time and within budget, while aligning line capability with future volume projections.
•	Created and managed Quality Control Plans and Process Flow Diagrams, ensuring 100% compliance with internal documentation and traceability standards under IATF 16949.

Manufacturing Engineer – Advanced Manufacturing | Tooling | Lean Production Systems | Projects

Process Optimization Initiatives: Contributed to the development of manufacturing processes, improving production efficiency by 10% through hands-on support in project execution.

Learning and Implementation: Built foundational skills in manufacturing engineering, including process validation, project planning, and tooling development.

Graduate Engineering Trainee

I’m a Product Engineering Specialist with 10+ years of experience in manufacturing, quality assurance, and product development — and I thrive at the intersection of hands-on problem-solving and strategic execution.

Over the years, I’ve helped companies reduce production costs by 20%, boost efficiency by 30%, and streamline development cycles by 15%. Whether I’m leading a VPCR rollout, conducting a GD&T review, or improving process capability with Six Sigma tools, I bring a focus on results, reliability, and continuous improvement.

🛠️ My key strengths include:

•	Driving lean manufacturing through DFM/DFA, SMED, TPM, and OEE.
•	Implementing robust quality systems (IATF 16949, ISO standards) and leading internal audits.
•	Solving chronic issues with 8D, 5 Whys, and RCA, resulting in a 30% drop in product defects.
•	Leading cross-functional teams to deliver projects on-time and under budget.


I’m also passionate about coaching and thought leadership. Through my Linkedin and mentoring efforts, I help professionals navigate career challenges, master quality tools, and grow with clarity.

If you're building something impactful in manufacturing or quality — or simply want to swap insights on engineering excellence — let’s connect. I’m always open to meaningful conversations and new opportunities.

📩 Reach out: akshaymedhekar620@gmail.com
🔗 Let’s connect here on LinkedIn!

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Ajay Y.

Akshay Medhekar

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