Sheetal M Mehta is Founder and CEO of Innovative Social Ventures Ltd, a London based company that provides advisory services to companies in the area of fundraising, technical due diligence and corporate partnering. Through social entrepreneurship models, the company also serves as a vehicle for socially conscious technologies and solutions to reach out to developing communities globally. She sits on several advisory boards in this capacity.
In July 2006 Mehta was appointed by the UK Trade and Investment’s Global Entrepreneur Programme as UK Dealmaker. As a liaison between Government and entrepreneurs, she is responsible for accessing Venture Capital funding for technology start ups and assisting entrepreneurs interested in setting up their companies and pursuing opportunities in the United Kingdom.
Previously, Mehta was Director VC Relations at Microsoft where she worked with the Venture Capital community in EMEA and the Silicon Valley to help their portfolio companies leverage the .NET initiative. Mehta forged strategic alliances with VCs in order to help them partner with Microsoft in a meaningful way, (across product groups in Redmond, marketing and sales teams globally and executive sponsorship). Assisting emerging technologies to achieve funding and partner with Microsoft on a global basis provided Sheetal with an excellent platform and network to create her own business.
As co-founder and Chief Knowledge Economist for Knowledge Dynamics (London); Mehta was responsible for the development of an Intellectual Capital (intangible assets) valuation tool. Case projects included the valuation of Swissair code shares (alliances) and the creation of the world's first global knowledge exchange.
Prior to Knowledge Dynamics, Mehta provided financial solutions to banks (WestLB) and venture capital firms, institutions, high net worth individuals and corporate clients ( USA, Middle East and EMEA).
In 2005, Prince Charles and Cheri Blair awarded Mehta with the Asian Women of Achievement Award: Social and Humanitarian Efforts for her focus on taking technology to developing communities in India and Africa. Mehta has been invited to Buckingham Palace for “Women in Business” reception hosted by Her Majesty, The Queen and she has been awarded 35 Under 35 by Management Today Magazine – an award for the top 35 women in business under 35 in the UK. Recently she was awarded “One of the Top Ten Most Powerful Asian Business Women in the UK by Success Magazine (Number 5). She has recently been nominated for Entrepreneur of the Year by Asian Woman Magazine (Nov 2007) and is on the shortlist for inclusion in the ‘Ones To Watch’ section of the Asian Power 100 list – the most influential and highest achieving Asian men & women in Britain. Asian Woman Magazine covered a story of Mehta’s business in the Sept 2007 issue.
Mehta is a TiE Charter Member and mentor; she sits on several advisory positions including Shelter, Trestle Group Foundation, and the LSE Alumni Mentoring Committee. Volunteer work includes, Thames Reach Bondway, fundraising for Cancer Research and Feotal Alcohol Syndrome, SOS Childrens Villages, and Presentation (A Social Investment Agency) which also supports Asian Foundation for Philanthropy. Mehta is also a member and active participant in Voices for Innovation which is sponsored by several leading innovative companies including Microsoft. Sheetal completed a Masters in International Relations (Economics) at the London School of Economics and BA (Honours) in International Politics at the University of Alberta, Canada. She is currently setting up a charitable organization with a focus on social investing and she is training to become a Vinyasana Yoga Teacher.