From selling pears at a local market to leading AI innovation in Silicon Valley, Dan Lesovodski’s entrepreneurial journey is a testament to grit, reinvention, and a deep passion for technology. Today, as Chief Partner Officer at Smart Spatial and a key figure in the AI ecosystem, Dan is redefining how companies engage with digital twins, avatars, and intelligent enterprise software.
An Early Entrepreneur
Dan’s business instincts surfaced early. At just 15, he sold pears from his grandmother’s garden, helped in his father’s electronics store, and hawked Zepter cookware with his mother. But it was his first independent venture—selling printed cheat code booklets for the game Mortal Kombat—that revealed his entrepreneurial streak. Demand was high, and Dan quickly learned to identify opportunities and act on them.
Tech-Driven Growth
While still in school, Dan was programming simulation models of physical laws that impressed even his teachers. His curiosity led him to study at the prestigious Bauman Moscow State Technical University, where he earned his degree with honors.
During his third year at university, Dan joined a business intelligence firm analyzing fragmented company data to assess B2B risk. There, he pitched and led a new direct marketing division. He sourced printing equipment, wrote specifications for software, hired teams, and turned the idea into a profitable service. But when visions diverged with company leadership, Dan decided it was time to move on.
Mastering Consulting and Building Systems
Dan transitioned into consulting, joining a major IT integrator where he worked—unofficially at first—until his persistence got him formally hired. He helped implement decision-support systems for a billion-dollar metallurgical enterprise, then went on to co-found his own consulting firm.
His firm’s standout success was a robust financial planning and KPI system for a major insurance provider. Dan’s quick mastery of insurance finance allowed him to lead the project and train others in the field. The system operated successfully for seven years, a rare feat in an industry known for constant change.
Leadership and Intrapreneurship
At Korus Consulting, Dan built a consulting practice from scratch, assembling a stellar team and delivering high-impact projects. He later joined one of his former clients—a leading insurance firm—as Deputy CEO for IT and Finance. There, he managed over 300 employees nationwide and oversaw strategic processes across budgeting, analytics, and reporting.
Startup Hustle and Scaling Success
Dan’s passion for entrepreneurship remained strong. He completed a Lean Startup bootcamp and launched two ventures: one, a digital auto-service aggregator, was quickly shuttered following the “fail fast” principle. The other—an on-demand digital printing business—scaled rapidly, multiplying its valuation tenfold in three years. Its products reached the Sochi Olympics, major TV networks, and even IKEA.
The AI Chapter with Data Monsters
In 2016, Dan joined Data Monsters, an AI research lab and consulting firm, and played a central role in transforming it into a globally recognized organization headquartered in Cupertino. As Vice President, he helped the company become an elite NVIDIA Service Delivery Partner and led over 52 high-impact AI and data initiatives for clients such as Intel, GE, Boston Scientific, AB InBev, AMD, HPE, and Hitachi Vantara. His work spanned industries including healthcare, telecom, banking, manufacturing, and retail.
Dan also served as Head of the AI Incubator and co-authored the popular ‘Machine Learning for Managers’ course on Coursera. He mentored internal teams and educated business leaders on practical AI.
His global outreach included leading high-impact AI projects involving avatars in Spain and the Middle East, showcased at premier events such as GITEX Dubai (2023, 2024), HPE Discover Barcelona (2024), HPE Discover Las Vegas (2024), and the joint Data Monsters–Siemens booth at NVIDIA GTC 2024. His digital twin work gained recognition from NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, who featured Dan’s projects in his keynote. Dan also created a digital avatar of HPE CEO Antonio Neri, pushing the envelope of leadership and AI convergence.
Smart Spatial: Redefining Digital Twins
Since 2024, Dan has been Chief Partner Officer at Smart Spatial Inc., where he is spearheading efforts to transform commercial real estate with high-fidelity visual twins powered by real-time operational data. The platform revolutionizes management of building systems like HVAC and electrical infrastructure, aiming to become the new industry standard for intuitive, AI-powered visualization and control.
He has trained over 400 business leaders in AI and digital twins and maintains a vibrant professional network with over 11,100 LinkedIn connections.
Educator and Public Voice
Dan regularly speaks at conferences, executive workshops, and webinars. He was a featured speaker at NVIDIA GTC 2024 (“Generative Avatars and Conversational AI”), and a panelist at “The AI Rabbit Hole Conference” in San Francisco and “The AI Revolution and How It Will Change the World” at LinkedIn’s office. His insights have been published in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and The Business Journals, and he’s appeared on podcasts like “Humans of AI” and “PNY Pro.”
Vision for the Future
Dan’s latest ventures are focused on building AI-native enterprise software—tools designed from the ground up to integrate intelligence into every interaction. From developing SaaS platforms for LinkedIn lead generation to exploring spatially-aware interfaces, Dan continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible.
Whether helping Fortune 2000 companies deploy AI or launching startups that reimagine how we engage with our physical spaces, Dan Lesovodski remains guided by a simple principle: the future of business is built on intelligence—human and artificial, working together
Published by Joseph T.
