Krishna Mehra, former engineering leader at Meta, has joined early-stage venture capital firm Elevation Capital as a partner. In this role, he will lead the firm’s investments in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) sectors, aiming to strengthen Elevation’s presence along the India-US corridor.

At Meta, Mehra spearheaded engineering for messaging ads, leveraging AI-driven products, and played a pivotal role in deploying some of the company’s earliest Llama models. His previous experience includes building cloud systems at Cohesity and co-founding two startups: Capillary Technologies, which offers customer engagement and loyalty software, and Taro, a chef-to-table marketplace later acquired by EAT Club.

As an angel investor, Mehra has supported over 40 companies, such as Innovaccer and MoEngage, further solidifying his reputation in the startup ecosystem.

Mehra’s appointment aligns with Elevation Capital’s focus on advancing its SaaS Compass program, which is entering its second year. This initiative offers mentorship from industry leaders like Vikram Bhaskaran of ThoughtSpot and Scott Pugh of Figma. Elevation has made significant strides in the SaaS and AI spaces, backing nearly 30 companies, including Clear, Fareye, and Murf.ai, and has increased its activity in these sectors over the past four years.

Elevation Capital, which has invested over $2.6 billion in more than 190 companies, including prominent names like Swiggy, Unacademy, Meesho, and Urban Company, is continuing to expand its footprint in the Indian startup ecosystem. In April 2022, the firm closed its eighth India-dedicated fund at $670 million.

This move comes just months after Elevation promoted Vaas Bhaskar and Chirag Chadha to partners, with Bhaskar focusing on fintech and Chadha leading the consumer tech portfolio.