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46. Chaitanya Chitta

Chaitanya Chitta arrow-up-right

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chaitanyachitta/ Chaitanya Chitta Entrepreneur | CXO | Angel Investor | Higher Education Leader Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

At the helm of Cintana Education's strategic expansion in India and South Asia, I am passionate about driving partnerships and execution that redefine the future of higher education. Leading a dynamic team, I collaborate with some of the most esteemed institutions to foster academic innovation and operational excellence, paving the way for transformative growth.

Previously, I co-founded DropKaffe, a journey that culminated in the creation of SLAY Coffee—a brand that revolutionized India’s coffee culture and reshaped how people experience their daily brew. Prior to that, I co-founded SmartOn Learning, an edtech venture based out of New York and Bengaluru, focused on equipping learners with future-ready skills and driving impactful career outcomes. Prior to that, I worked as a Senior Director with KPMG and as a Manager with Barclays Capital in New York City.

Beyond work, I am a proud father to a 12-year-old child author and podcaster. I am a certified yoga instructor, and an avid traveler. Life also wouldn’t be the same without my 4-year-old retriever, who keeps our home lively and joyful.

Drop me a note to connect and explore how we can build meaningful collaborations and drive impact together.

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🧑‍💼 Demographics

  • Name: Chaitanya Chitta

  • Age Range: 40–50 (based on leadership roles and multi-venture background)

  • Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

  • Education: Likely MBA or postgraduate education (inferred from Barclays/KPMG leadership and edtech focus)

  • Professional Level: CXO / Entrepreneur / Strategic Leader / Angel Investor

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🏢 Firmographics

  • Industry Expertise:

    • Higher Education & EdTech (Cintana Education, SmartOn Learning)

    • Consumer Brands (DropKaffe → SLAY Coffee)

    • Consulting & Capital Markets (KPMG, Barclays Capital)

    • Startup Ecosystem & Investment

  • Current Role:

    • Strategic Leader – Cintana Education (India & South Asia)

      • Driving university partnerships, academic innovation, and operational excellence

    • Angel Investor & Startup Mentor

      • Strong interest in EdTech, D2C, and mission-driven innovation

  • Previous Roles:

    • Co-founder – SLAY Coffee / DropKaffe

    • Co-founder – SmartOn Learning (New York & India)

    • Senior Director – KPMG

    • Manager – Barclays Capital (New York)

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🧠 Psychographics

  • Interests:

    • Higher education innovation and edtech disruption

    • Building brands that redefine categories (coffee, learning, etc.)

    • Strategic collaborations with universities and mission-aligned startups

    • Future-of-work, skills development, and learning ecosystems

  • Hidden Interests (Inferred):

    • Blending D2C and EdTech DNA into new-age education models

    • Social impact through education

    • Scaling India-first innovations to global markets

  • Hobbies (Stated & Inferred):

    • Certified yoga instructor

    • Avid traveler

    • Proud parent of a young author & podcaster

    • Dog lover (4-year-old retriever!)

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⚠️ Pain Points & Challenges

  • Pain Points:

    • Bridging traditional academia with future-ready skill models

    • Aligning large institutional partnerships with startup-style agility

    • Creating measurable impact at scale in education

    • Balancing operational complexity with user-centric innovation

  • Frustrations (Inferred):

    • Lip-service innovation in education without execution

    • Startups lacking mission alignment or product-market understanding

    • Corporate stakeholders slow to adopt transformative ideas

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🛠️ Skills & Competencies

  • Strategic Partnerships & Higher Education Expansion

  • D2C Brand Creation & Scaling

  • EdTech Platform Building

  • Cross-Cultural Team Leadership

  • Capital Markets & Consulting Background

  • Angel Investing in Impactful Startups

  • Operational Excellence & Execution Strategy

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📬 Communication Preferences

  • Preferred Channels:

    • LinkedIn – Active, welcoming messages for impactful collabs

    • Email – For formal pitches or strategic partnership inquiries

    • Likely open to calls with founders, university leaders, and early-stage builders

    • Appreciates vision-led, values-driven conversations

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🧩 Persona Summary

Chaitanya Chitta is a rare blend of startup founder, CXO, and higher education changemaker, shaping how India—and South Asia—learn, grow, and innovate. From brewing D2C disruption with SLAY Coffee to enabling education partnerships through Cintana, he’s committed to purpose-driven business building. As an angel investor and mentor, Chaitanya seeks founders who combine big vision with real execution, especially in education, D2C, and mission-led ventures. Bonus: he brings authenticity, warmth, and a well-balanced life that informs his leadership style.

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