Rohit Kanungo

I help turn early-stage deeptech from labs and corporates into investable ventures by combining heavy technical training with large-project, startup, and venture-building experience.

I’m a chemical engineer with a PhD who has worked across large industry, deeptech startups, and venture building. At P&G I managed the process scope of a €100M greenfield detergent plant, which trained me in project management and stakeholder alignment. I then did a PhD on graphene-based materials for energy storage, before moving into deeptech venture building with Lotus Partners in Barcelona, where I evaluated university technologies and helped spin out one startup, Distinkt.

In the Netherlands I joined AquaBattery as product development manager and led the scale-up from lab proof-of-concept to a pilot at Deltares, building the team, roadmap, and cost-down strategy, and managing an EIC Accelerator project. Most recently at BigCircle Ventures I evaluated around 50 climate and circular deeptech inventions from universities, working with TTOs and inventors to assess impact and commercial potential and help get at least one licensing deal over the line.

Senior Venture Developer

BIGCIRCLE VENTURES

09/2024 - 08/2025

Amsterdam, Netherlands A deep-tech venture builder focusing on energy transition solutions, 10 employees

Achievements/Tasks

• Evaluated 50+ leads for impact and commercial potential resulting in 1 licensing deal with TU Eindhoven to build a venture.
• Led business development across 6 Dutch research institutes (WUR, TU Eindhoven, WETSUS, UvA, VU, DIFFER) generating 25+ leads.
• Built 2 strategic collaborations with private organizations to source and develop new technological solutions.
• Developed expertise on various sustainable technologies, value chains, and regulations in climate and circular solutions sector. Examples: energy storage, solar energy, green-iron, bio-refineries, plastic recycling, etc.

Product Development Manager

AQUABATTERY

07/2021 - 06/2024

Amsterdam, Netherlands An early-stage startup developing a water and salt based sustainable grid-scale battery, 23 employees

Achievements/Tasks

• Led a €3.2M project funded by EU HORIZON - EIC Accelerator grant, managing a multidisciplinary team of 8 engineers to scale a battery technology from lab to demonstrator scale.
• Developed the technology and funding roadmap that contributed in raising €6M of seed investment.
• Identified key skill gaps and recruited 8 team members over 18 months to build a high-performing product development team.
• Partnered with industry experts and research institutions to drive value engineering initiatives and implement product cost-reduction strategies aligned with manufacturability, quality, and cost objectives.

Venture Developer

LOTUS PARTNERS

03/2020 - 06/2021

Barcelona, Spain A deep-tech venture builder focusing on advanced materials, 5 employees

Achievements/Tasks

• Led technical due diligence and evaluated the commercial potential of 10 university-based research inventions leading to creation of 1 spin-off company - Distinkt
• Mentored the founding team of a spin-off company to develop product roadmap leading to a seed investment of €300K.

Project Manager

PROCTER & GAMBLE

01/2012 - 07/2014

Hyderabad, India A Fortune 500 company having 108,000 employees and annual revenue of $84M

Achievements/Tasks

• Managed the process engineering scope of a $100M CAPEX project including engineering design, procurement and construction, ensuring safe and timely commissioning of a detergent manufacturing unit.
• Led a cross-functional team of 5 people to improve energy efficiency in a manufacturing sub-unit, delivering $50K in annual savings.
• Supervised a team of 10 technicians for the successful commissioning of a shampoo production line generating $30M in annual revenue.

PhD, Chemical Engineering

AUBURN UNIVERSITY

08/2014 - 07/2019

Auburn, USA

Dissertation on Graphene based Nanomaterials for Energy Storage Applications, advised by Dr Emmy Radich.