Pragyan Pradhan
@pragyanpradhan
Product Leader and Product Owner with 14+ years delivering zero-to-one products and roadmap value-focused execution.
IndiaWhat I'm looking for
I’m a Product Leader and Product Owner with 14+ years of experience driving programs and zero-to-one product development. I thrive in ambiguity, translating discovery into clear product vision, MVP scope, and outcome-driven roadmaps.
Recently, I co-founded and led a mentorship platform (Mentyours), owning end-to-end product strategy, discovery, and execution. I ran user discovery with founders and mentors, defined success metrics, and designed the full mentor–mentee matching and session lifecycle to support early go-to-market assumptions.
Before that, as a Product Owner at Mercedes-Benz Research & Development India, I owned backlog creation, refinement, and prioritization based on business value and program milestones. I led Agile/Hybrid delivery, aligned engineering and leadership teams on acceptance criteria, and mentored 20+ engineers to balance capacity and sustain strong delivery performance.
Earlier in my career, I led technical programs in new product development and manufacturing readiness—spearheading vehicle upper-body and under-body development and using simulation-driven engineering decisions. My product approach blends engineering rigor with stakeholder alignment to improve QCD outcomes and accelerate successful launches.
Experience
Work history, roles, and key accomplishments
Product Co-Founder & Lead
Mentyours.com
Dec 2025 - Present (6 months)
Co-founded and built a mentorship marketplace for early-stage founders, running discovery interviews to refine the value proposition and define core success metrics. Led end-to-end product strategy and MVP scope, designing mentor onboarding, mentee discovery, matching, and the session lifecycle while translating UX and feature trade-offs into shipped releases.
Product Owner
Mercedes-Benz Research & Development India
Jun 2022 - Dec 2025 (3 years 6 months)
Owned product vision and backlog for automotive and IT programs, prioritizing requirements by business value and program milestones. Led Agile/hybrid delivery ceremonies and aligned engineering, manufacturing, suppliers, and leadership on acceptance criteria and change requests while mentoring 20+ onsite and offshore engineers.
Technical Project Manager
Škoda Auto Volkswagen India
Dec 2021 - Jun 2022 (6 months)
Coordinated feasibility and manufacturability assessments for sheet metal programs, integrating simulation outcomes to proactively mitigate technical and schedule risks. Managed cross-functional design-to-tryout coordination and improved dimensional accuracy by 20%, reduced downtime by 25%, and delivered QCD improvements including up to 12% cost savings and 95% first-pass yield.
Technical Lead - NPD
Renault Nissan Technology & Business Centre India
Nov 2017 - Dec 2021 (4 years 1 month)
Led new car upper-body and under-body development, ensuring design feasibility, structural integrity, and manufacturing robustness for vehicle programs. Owned DFM and feasibility reviews, and led AutoForm sheet metal forming simulations for Class-A exterior panels and BIW components to secure surface quality, dimensional accuracy, and global compliance while serving as the interface between global
R&D Engineer
Tata Motors
Jul 2013 - Nov 2017 (4 years 4 months)
Delivered end-to-end engineering activities across new vehicle development programs, coordinating with Engineering Research Centre and production teams to support concept-to-manufacturing execution. Supported interior/exterior component development aligned to styling intent, cost targets, and regulatory requirements, including early-stage feasibility assessments prior to tooling release.
Design Engineer
Challenge Autotech Pvt Ltd
Feb 2011 - Jul 2013 (2 years 5 months)
Designed inspection fixtures and precision gauges for injection-molded plastic and sheet metal components for multinational automotive and industrial clients. Used CATIA V5 R19 and AutoCAD to create 3D models and technical drawings, improving design accuracy and reducing design cycle time by approximately 20%.
Education
Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework
Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani
Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical, Mechanical
2014 - 2017
Grade: GPA 7.8/10
Earned a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical at BITS Pilani (GPA 7.8/10) from 2014 to 2017.
Central Institute of Plastic Engineering and Technology, Bhubaneswar
Post Diploma in Plastics Mould Technology, Plastics Mould Technology
2007 - 2010
Grade: GPA 7.6/10
Completed a Post Diploma in Plastics Mould Technology (GPA 7.6/10) at CIPET Bhubaneswar from 2007 to 2010.
Availability
Location
IndiaAuthorized to work in
Job categories
Skills
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