At Business Outreach Magazine, the editorial team takes it as a priority to feature some of the most fascinating stories in the ecosystem of entrepreneurship, leadership, and innovation. In our 40 Under 40 2025 – Diwali Special Edition, we feature Siddhesh Dongare, whose journey of more than 12 years in fintech and open banking highlights a rare blend of technical excellence, innovation, and people-centric leadership. Siddhesh grew up in a humble Maharashtrian household where values were abundant, though financial resources were limited. He often shares that his family’s unwavering support shaped his determination to continuously improve, not by comparing himself to others, but by competing with his own yesterday.
His professional journey began in 2008 as an IT Tutor at Satyam Infotech Computer Education Institute in Kalyan. One student in his class, who once doubted her ability to pass, completed the course with distinction. That moment taught Siddhesh a lesson he still carries: leadership is not about control, but about instilling belief in others.
Today, Siddhesh Dongare is a Technical Product Manager for Open Banking at Mastercard, leading global programs such as Data Enrichment as a Service and GenAI-powered solutions across the US, Australia, and Europe. His role lies at the intersection of finance, AI, and compliance, ensuring products are scalable, secure, and trusted worldwide. For Siddhesh, innovation is not simply about technology. “True progress,” he says, “is when solutions are not only advanced, but also ethical, secure, and impactful.”
With 20+ patents filed in the USA across fintech, AI, and data science, Siddhesh has cemented his reputation as an inventor who addresses real-world challenges with scalable solutions. He created the Agile Iteration Process for Data Mining (AIP-DM) to bring agility into data science and also introduced UnLeASH, a Lean-Agile methodology designed to unlock innovation beyond IT.
Beyond innovation frameworks, Siddhesh Dongare is also an author. His debut book, Shape Your Life by Changing Perspective, inspires individuals to transform their mindset for resilience and growth. Siddhesh holds a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology (2008) and a Master’s in Systems (2010), complemented by a PG Diploma in Project Management. He also holds globally respected certifications, including Certified Agile Leadership (CAL-E®, CAL-T®, CAL-O®), Professional Agile Leadership – Evidence-Based Management (PAL-EBM®), ICAgile Certified Professional in Enterprise Agile Coaching (ICP-ENT®), Project Management Professional (PMI-PMP®), PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP®), SAFe® 5.1 Scrum Master, Lean Six Sigma White & Yellow Belt
These qualifications reflect not just competence, but a deep commitment to continuous learning.
Siddhesh’s contributions have been recognized at every stage of his career, like Agile Coach of the Year (2024) – India Agile Awards, UNICOM, Bangalore, Business Mint Nationwide Under 40 Award – for his work as an author, and Multiple awards at Mastercard for embodying “The Mastercard Way” in product leadership. Early career recognitions such as Most Agile Employee of the Year (Ergode IT Services) and the Elephant Memory Award, the Helping Hand Award, Fab Fundae Presenter Award (Paper Plane Solutions)
Siddhesh envisions an open banking ecosystem as trusted as electricity and as accessible as the internet. Alongside building products that shape the future of finance, he serves as a Mentor at Mastercard and an Education Mentor with Reliance Foundation Skills / Skill India Digital Hub, inspiring students and professionals to embrace growth with confidence.
As he puts it: “Leadership is not standing in front; it’s creating circles where everyone feels capable of contributing.”
