Technology permeates our daily lives, from the online shopping platforms we use to the smart assistants that remind us how many teaspoons are in a tablespoon. With the ubiquitous use of technology comes a massive amount of data that companies can use to generate valuable business insights. But while the raw data is out there for the taking, it takes a trained and highly experienced data scientist to help companies make use of it.
Data scientists like Nitish Gaddam leverage cutting-edge techniques to analyze large and complex datasets while building machine learning models capable of driving informed, data-driven decision-making. As someone whose love for technology stretches back to his very first Nintendo 64, Gaddam has had a lifetime of experience tinkering around with computers and other gadgets. It's this love of technology that has driven Gaddam throughout his life to pursue the field of data science and build product applications that make our lives that much easier.
"During my college years, I was introduced to coding, which sparked a passion in me," said Gaddam. "As I interacted with peers and professors who catered to my interests, I realized I wanted to use my skills to help people."
This introduced Gaddam to various small businesses in his local community that were undergoing the transition from the physical world to the digital world. Gaddam began his entrepreneurial journey by building websites, building applications, and developing CMS softwares to help these companies connect with a completely new digital generation of users.
But it wasn't until Gaddam was presented with an idea of his own that he really became immersed in the startup world. An avid fan of grocery delivery services, he realized that his local community was in need of a company providing that service. He created a hyperlocal grocery delivery service named Speezo, which quickly grew to handle over 20,000 orders placed by customers that included major consumer goods companies like BigBazaar and Hypercity. Eventually, Speezo was able to raise seed capital from friends and family to launch, ultimately leading to its selection by one of India's largest startup incubators, T-Hub. This opportunity exposed Gaddam to fellow founders and investors who would help shape the trajectory of his career.
"In the course of my work on Speezo, I developed a deep appreciation for the transformative impact of data science and machine learning on the rapidly evolving technology landscape," said Gaddam. This awareness led him to obtain his Master's degree in Computer Science with a specialization in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning at Boston University. While working as a data scientist at eBay through Collabera, Nitish Gaddam utilized advanced optimization and machine learning tools to develop optimal bidding strategies for affiliate marketing campaigns, resulting in cost optimizations of 2.4 million dollars within the first year of implementation. Afterwards, he assumed the position of Senior Data Scientist at PayPal. In this role, his contributions in addressing time-series analysis challenges significantly enhanced the precision of demand forecasting for the organization. Additionally, he developed valuable seasonal insights that were presented during various company earnings calls. Not only was he responsible for helping to integrate finance more effectively into the organization, but his work significantly altered the forecasting and subsequent analysis that had previously been performed.
As of now, Gaddam currently works for Stitchfix, a personal styling service that offers a monthly subscription service to customers. He continues to leverage his expertise in machine learning, data science, and app development to help various startups build their own smart applications. He also regularly mentors startups such as VHonk, Nalgan Technologies, and matchday.ai to help them kickoff from the ground and develop their own product-level models.
He hasn't stopped tinkering with technology, either-he continues to pursue his passion for technology by actively engaging in experimentation. As a pastime, he is currently developing a prototype for a Decentralized application that integrates data storage and services running on chain, thereby ensuring the authenticity of data storage for its users. Whether he's exploring the decentralized web or helping startups grow their business, Gaddam is constantly using his expertise to help companies find better and faster ways of doing what they do best.
