New industries, new innovations—women pioneers are everywhere. For this inspiring series, we’re asked our partner companies to submit one woman “Pathfinder” to represent their work, their products, their industry, or their values. (And often, all of the above.)
Meet Rajitha Chaparala, VP of Product, Data & AI at Procore Technologies. Learn how she carved out her place in AI and her advice on breaking into emerging industries.
What path are you forging?
I transform businesses by building impactful products that leverage data, AI, and cutting-edge tools to drive innovation and growth.
What inspired you to pursue this field?
I was always interested in business courses during my undergrad, and I did my master's thesis on data mining—a technique that analyzes large datasets to uncover patterns, relationships, and anomalies. This can help predict outcomes like customer response, risk, fraud, churn, and many more. Working in this field felt like having a superpower, though it was often hard to explain to others. Along the way, I fell into product management, building web and mobile applications, and putting them both together I now build products using data and AI.
Fast forward to present day—data and AI are recognized as competitive advantages across all industries.
What’s a cool project or program you’ve developed as a result of your work in this area?
My first AI product holds a special place in my heart because I not only built the product but also assembled the team. This product was in the M&A space, helping prospective buyers streamline their due diligence by reducing the number of relevant documents for consideration by a factor of 100. There were many firsts in this journey: the company's first AI product, our first use of design thinking for discovery, our first crowdsourcing and data tagging for training and validation, and my first customer roadshow.
What resources or people have been influential in your success in your field?
My bosses have been instrumental, challenging me to take on new responsibilities early in my career, which pushed me to learn on the job and seek help. I proactively asked for training and immersed myself in relevant literature. Once I adapted to this rapid learning pace, I sought roles with similar growth opportunities.
Career growth is a team sport, involving the support of mentors, the encouragement of colleagues, and collaborative efforts. The challenges from my bosses, shared knowledge from peers, and training opportunities significantly contributed to my development.
What advice would you give to aspiring professionals looking to break into and make an impact in emerging industries or technologies or at their company?
Embrace challenges and accept new responsibilities, even if you feel underqualified; learning on the job and seeking help when needed is invaluable. Be proactive and immerse yourself in relevant literature to stay informed and continuously learn. Remember that career growth is a team sport—leverage the support of mentors, colleagues, and your team, as their guidance and shared knowledge can significantly contribute to your development. Stay adaptable and seek roles that offer growth opportunities, and embrace environments that challenge you and encourage innovation. Follow your interests passionately; be open to pioneering new initiatives, as experiences filled with firsts, can set you apart and make a significant impact. By following these principles, you can position yourself to make a meaningful impact in emerging industries and technologies.
