Her Story
About Deepti
Deepti Chafekar is a technology leader, AI systems architect, and the CTO and co-founder of LuminaData, where she builds intelligent AI platforms that transform complex enterprise workflows into scalable automation. With more than 15 years of experience in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and product development, she has worked across research labs, startups, and enterprise technology companies to create solutions that turn complex data into actionable insights and automated decision-making systems.
Deepti’s career has been defined by innovation at the intersection of AI and business transformation. Before co-founding LuminaData, she served as Director of Data Science at AppZen, where she led the development of enterprise AI products for Fortune 500 organizations, including finance automation, document intelligence, fraud detection, and workflow optimization. She also held leadership roles at companies such as SimilarWeb, Outlier AI, and Weav AI, where she developed large-scale machine learning systems, predictive analytics solutions, and AI-powered decision platforms. Her work has resulted in multiple patents and industry recognition, including innovation awards for advancing AI technologies.
Deepti earned her Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering in India before pursuing a Master’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Georgia and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Virginia Tech, where she received recognition for her doctoral research. Her expertise spans agentic AI, multi-agent systems, enterprise AI platforms, workflow automation, and human-in-the-loop intelligent systems. Beyond technology, Deepti is passionate about building impactful products, mentoring teams, and approaching leadership with commitment, empathy, and a focus on solving meaningful real-world problems.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Deepti
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to hard work, dedication, and a consistent commitment to giving my best effort. I believe that persistence, discipline, and a strong work ethic have been key factors in overcoming challenges and achieving my goals.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I have received and followed is to work in the field that you are passionate about. I think that is something that helps you grow and you don't feel that extra stress of doing something else that you're not passionate about. So working with passion is something I've always followed.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
One advice I would give to women is sometimes women don't value themselves. They have a lot of potential but it doesn't come across or it's you always feel that oh I'm not good enough but that is I think that is you have to come out of that thinking and always have that confidence that you know I am good enough I am doing my best. So I would give that advice to women saying that you know have that confidence and and you can achieve anything.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Opportunities in AI to automate processes within industry and companies. Everybody wants to be AI first and have a product that is AI first so huge opportunity to bring different elements of AI to automation and intelligence. Challenges with using AI include it doesn't always give 100% automation there are difficulties hard destinations it can take different paths concerns about data privacy data security how AI is interpreting the data need to make sure results are very accurate and handle data with utmost security and privacy.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values are really having strong commitment to your work whatever you do even if it is a small thing or if it's a big thing. Giving your 100% and doing it with utmost sincerity is the principle that I follow in everything I do is give it your best shot and do with utmost sincerity. And I also other value that I also really cherish and I follow deeply is that having also empathy towards your coworkers your team members and your direct reports. Like having empathy and kindness something that I gave really really take like take take it serious.
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