Shivam Chauhan (शिवम् चौहाण) — Co-Founder
I build certifiable aircraft systems! I am the Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer at Sarla Aviation, where I lead technology and product innovation for India’s emerging urban air mobility ecosystem. My work spans aircraft-level systems, software, and certification-driven development, with a focus on turning ambitious eVTOL concepts into real, manufacturable, and safe aircraft. I currently spearhead the development of Shunya, a six-seat electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft designed for urban operations. Before founding Sarla Aviation, I worked at Joby Aviation as an Embedded Software Engineer on production-intent Battery Management Systems for a manned eVTOL aircraft. I was part of a small, highly experienced engineering team with backgrounds from early Tesla, Mercedes-Benz, and leading deep-tech startups. My work covered the full embedded stack, from high-level hardware and software requirements to low-level firmware development for certifiable sensors and ICs, application-layer software, and proprietary SPI and I2C communication stacks. I also served as a critical interface between firmware and FPGA teams to ensure correct end-to-end system behavior. Prior to my departure, my name was placed on the first aircraft manufactured and rolled out of Joby’s production facility as part of the U.S. Air Force’s 10-aircraft program. That remains the most meaningful professional recognition of my career, because it represents real engineering delivered under real certification and operational constraints. At Sarla Aviation, I apply these lessons daily. I believe manned aviation demands discipline, traceability, and respect for safety standards, not development shortcuts. My focus is on building teams, systems, and cultures that can withstand certification scrutiny and scale into commercial reality. I hold a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from San José State University and work at the intersection of embedded systems, aerospace engineering, and long-horizon technology strategy.
Stackforce AI infers this person is a highly skilled aerospace engineer specializing in embedded systems and aviation technology.
Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Experience: 4 yrs 6 mos
Skills
- Avionics
- Product Innovation
- Embedded Software Development
- Battery Management Systems
- Firmware Development
Career Highlights
- Led development of India's first eVTOL aircraft.
- Contributed to Joby's first aircraft for U.S. Air Force.
- Expert in embedded systems and aviation certification.
Work Experience
Sarla Aviation
Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer (2 yrs 7 mos)
Stealth Startup
Co-Founder (1 yr)
Joby Aviation
Embedded Software Engineer BMS (1 yr 11 mos)
Samsung Semiconductor
Customer firmware engineer (2 yrs 7 mos)
PlayStation
Hardware system prototyping Intern (6 mos)
HARMAN International
Software engineer intern (4 mos)
Education
Master's degree at San José State University
Bachelor's degree at Gujarat Technological University (GTU)
