Lakshmi Natarajan

Lakshmi Natarajan is a global executive, investor, and strategic advisor whose career spans two decades of transformational leadership. As the Founder and CEO of Excelador, a consulting firm focused on scaling startups and modernizing enterprises, Lakshmi bridges vision with execution. She also serves as a General Partner at Erez Capital, a venture capital firm investing in AI-driven startups across finance, healthcare, and real estate. In this dual role, she identifies high-potential startups from pre-seed to pre-IPO and leads strategic advisory engagements that accelerate growth and scale impact. Her work bridges founders, investment partners, and a global expert network, offering scalable operational support alongside capital infusion. With a portfolio that includes global giants like American Express, Accenture, GlaxoSmithKline, Oracle, and Compass, Lakshmi is widely regarded as a force of innovation, influence, and integrity.

But Lakshmi’s story is more than a résumé, it’s a narrative of resilience, reinvention, and a commitment to purpose-driven leadership.

Born into a family rooted in Indian heritage and raised with a deep appreciation for education, community, and global curiosity, Lakshmi's worldview was shaped early. She pursued her education at the University of Pennsylvania and soon found herself rising through the ranks at Fortune 500 companies. Her career began in functional roles and evolved into cross-functional leadership positions that spanned strategy, operations, marketing, sales, and customer experience. Her leadership journey includes roles such as Vice President of Sales at GlaxoSmithKline and Associate Managing Director at Accenture, each focused on delivering exceptional value to both her teams and the customers they serve.

Despite professional success, Lakshmi made a bold pivot, leaving behind a high-powered corporate trajectory to launch her own ventures. This decision wasn’t just about career change; it was about creating a life by design. Through Excelador, she helps companies, from pre-seed startups to legacy enterprises, define strategy, lead complex transformations, and execute revenue-generating actions. Her work goes beyond consulting; she serves as a fractional executive, leadership advisor, and deal facilitator for growth-stage businesses.

Lakshmi’s ability to lead with empathy and deliver with excellence has made her a sought-after voice in both boardrooms and global forums. Having traveled to over 60 countries, Lakshmi brings a global perspective that drives impactful results, leveraging cultural insight and cross-border experience to lead diverse teams and deliver meaningful outcomes for clients around the world. She’s spoken at events hosted by Women in Tech, Meta, and Venture Café Miami, and is an active member of CREW and Global Women in VC. Her thought leadership has been featured in various podcasts and publications such as Forbes, Medium, and the Top 100 Innovators & Entrepreneurs Magazine, and she was recently recognized by MSN as one of the Top 10 Influential Entrepreneurs to Watch.

Yet, she defines success differently. “Impact isn’t just about business outcomes,” she says. “It’s about who you lift as you rise.” This ethos led her to launch Travel Plus Them™, a platform empowering families to raise globally minded children through travel and cultural education. As a passionate community leader, she serves on the Board of the India-U.S. Chamber of Commerce, elevating the business community, and she supports youth education globally through AIM for Seva. A mother of two daughters, Lakshmi infuses her personal values into every aspect of her work, championing equity, inclusion, and authenticity.

Today, Lakshmi is a trailblazer not only for women in business but for anyone seeking to align purpose with performance. Whether she’s advising startups, guiding investments, or mentoring the next generation of leaders, her legacy is rooted in service, strategy, and soul. In a world that often prizes speed over substance, Lakshmi Natarajan is a reminder that leadership is about intention, integrity, and impact that lasts far beyond the boardroom.