Where does Deepa Rao work?

Deepa Rao is Associate at The Engine Ventures.

Where did Deepa Rao go to school?

Deepa Rao studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Biological Oceanography); Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Biological Oceanography); Santa Fe Institute (Complex Systems).

Deepa Rao

Investor

Associate at The Engine Ventures

Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

Find your path to Deepa

1,061 people in our graph share verified history with Deepa — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.

Colleen CalhoununlockedDeepa: together at Engine Ventures (2025–2026)

×9Deepa: together at Engine Ventures

×2Deepa: together at WGBH

About

Deepa Rao is an investment associate at Engine Ventures with expertise in deep technology and climate sectors. She previously worked as a management consultant at Boston Consulting Group, advising public and private sector clients on climate strategy, decarbonization, and clean energy transition. Rao holds a PhD in oceanography from the MIT-WHOI Joint Program and conducted postdoctoral research in microbial ecology and marine systems at MIT.

Experience

Engine VenturesAssociatecurrent2025 — presentCambridge, Massachusetts, United States
Boston Consulting Group (BCG)Consultant2022 — 2024Boston, MA
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyPostdoctoral Research Associate2020 — 2022Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyDoctoral Researcher2014 — 2020Cambridge, MA
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyGraduate Teaching Assistant for Introductory Ecology2016Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
Woods Hole Oceanographic InstitutionGuest Student at Saito Lab2017 — 2020Woods Hole, MA
University of Hawaii at ManoaStudent at C-MORE Summer Course on Microbial Oceanography2015Honolulu, HI
Georgetown UniversityGraduate Research Assistant2013 — 2014
Georgetown UniversityDeveloper & Mentor2013 — 2014
Georgetown UniversityTechnical & Media Fellow2012 — 2013Center for New Designs in Learning & Scholarship
Georgetown UniversityGraduate Teaching Assistant2012 — 2013Georgetown University
MITUndergraduate Research Assistant2010 — 2012Bosak and Ono Labs, MIT
MITUndergraduate Teaching Fellow for Ecology I: The Earth System2011
WGBHNOVA Online Intern2012WGBH Boston
Harvard UniversityUndergraduate Research Fellow2011Petersham, MA
HSA Engineers & ScientistsSummer Intern2010
MITUndergraduate Research Assistant2009

Skills & more

Research SkillsScience CommunicationComplex SystemsClimateScience35Research34Molecular Biology19Statistics17Data Analysis13Teaching12Ecology11Matlab10

+12 more

EditingExperimental DesignBloggingLaboratoryScience EducationPhotoshopRSustainabilityLaTeXPython (Programming Language)R (Programming Language)Public Speaking

Climate & Sustainability Foundational: Accelerator — Boston Consulting Group (BCG)
Kauffman Teaching Certificate Program — Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Climate and Sustainability Stewardship Program (Columbia Climate School & BCG) — Columbia Climate School

From Deepa's professional profile.

Colleagues at The Engine Ventures

Alaina Hartnett

Associate at The Engine Ventures

Ann DeWitt

General Partner at The Engine Ventures

Bettina Metais

Vice President of Investor Relations & Operations at The Engine Ventures

Colleen Calhoun

Investor at BURNT ISLAND VENTURES

Dan Resnicow

Operating Partner at The Engine Ventures

Darby Dunn

Executive in Residence at The Engine Ventures

David Bradwell

Operating Partner at The Engine Ventures

Ericka Tamayo-Guevara

Analyst at The Engine Ventures

Frequently asked questions

Who is Deepa Rao?: Deepa Rao is an investment associate at Engine Ventures with expertise in deep technology and climate sectors. She previously worked as a management consultant at Boston Consulting Group, advising public and private sector clients on climate strategy, decarbonization, and clean energy transition. Rao holds a PhD in oceanography from the MIT-WHOI Joint Program and conducted postdoctoral research in microbial ecology and marine systems at MIT.
Where does Deepa Rao work?: Deepa Rao is Associate at The Engine Ventures.
Where did Deepa Rao go to school?: Deepa Rao studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Biological Oceanography); Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Biological Oceanography); Santa Fe Institute (Complex Systems).