Ajinkya Ghadge, Software Engineering Lead at a top tech travel company in Seattle, has been at the forefront of building robust, fault-tolerant payment processing systems that handle billions of dollars in transactions across the globe. With an impressive career spanning AI-driven marketing platforms, robotics research, and cloud computing services, Ajinkya’s contributions are driving the future of payment technology. In this interview, we delve into his journey, experiences, and vision for the future.
Q. Ajinkya, you’ve had a diverse career that spans AI, robotics, and payment systems. Can you talk a little bit about your journey and your current role?
Ajinkya Ghadge: I’m one of the lead engineers in the Pay-In domain at a travel company in Seattle, where we handle payments processing worth over 10s of billions annually across 100+ countries and 25+ currencies. Before this, I was part of a Seattle area startup called Amplero Inc. (now Curinos), where I developed AI-driven marketing platform that could optimize customer lifetime value through multi-armed bandit experimentation. Prior to that, I was deeply involved in robotics research at UT Arlington, developing smart hospital solutions in robotics, which were funded by the National Science Foundation. Each of these experiences has been instrumental in shaping my approach to problem-solving and leadership today.
Q: Can you talk about a project you led that significantly impacted the payment processing system?
Ajinkya Ghadge: One of the most impactful projects was integrating and expanding modern payment wallets into our ecosystem. These digital wallets are becoming increasingly popular, and adding them to our payment stack was a strategic move to enhance user experience and drive higher conversion rates. I led a team of engineers through the design, implementation, and roll-out phases, ensuring seamless integration while maintaining data security and compliance. This project not only improved customer satisfaction but also positioned the company to handle evolving payment trends.
Q: You’ve mentioned some of the larger initiatives in the past, but how do you approach handling unexpected issues? Can you share an example?
Ajinkya Ghadge: One notable issue was related to a popular airline, where we needed to recover millions of dollars from unpaid bookings due to a third-party payment system glitch. The challenge was that much time had passed, and there were complications with the lack of two-factor authentication (2FA) and adhering to regulations around payment recovery. I led the development of a custom solution to recover the payments, which was a mix of building recovery scripts and leveraging our system's architecture to facilitate the process. In the end, we were able to successfully recover most of the money, contributing directly to the bottom line. It was a challenging but rewarding experience that underscored the importance of flexibility and creative problem-solving in payment systems.
Q: What has been the most rewarding aspect of your work in the payments space?
Ajinkya Ghadge: The most rewarding aspect is knowing that the systems we build have a direct impact on people’s lives. Every day, millions of customers around the world use our services to book travel, and payments are a crucial part of that journey. Whether it’s supporting different currencies, integrating new payment methods, or complying with regulations like PSD2, it’s fulfilling to know that our work enables seamless travel experiences for users globally. The complexity behind these systems is immense, but seeing everything come together makes it worth it.
Q: You’ve also led several AI and robotics research projects. How do you balance innovation with practicality in your work?
Ajinkya Ghadge: Innovation is important, but so is practicality, especially when building systems that need to scale. For instance, during my time at UT Arlington, I worked on the Adaptive Robot Nursing Assistant project, where we programmed robots to help nurses with patient care in smart hospitals. While it was cutting-edge, the project taught me to focus on solutions that provide immediate value, even when pursuing long-term innovations. I apply the same principle in payments—whether it’s integrating AI or new technologies, I always keep the end user in mind and ensure that the innovation is scalable and feasible for real-world applications.
Q: You’ve been recognized for your leadership and expertise in several ways, including judging hackathons and reviewing research papers. How have these experiences shaped your career?
Ajinkya Ghadge: Being a judge at hackathons and peer-reviewing papers has been incredibly rewarding. These experiences allow me to stay updated on the latest trends in technology, especially in areas like distributed systems, cloud computing, and AI. They also provide a platform to mentor young engineers and innovators, which is something I’m very passionate about. Engaging with the broader tech community helps me bring fresh perspectives back to my work and keeps me connected to new ideas and innovations.
Q: What advice would you give to young engineers who aspire to work in payment technology?
Ajinkya Ghadge: First, focus on mastering the fundamentals of distributed systems and cloud computing because they form the backbone of most modern payment platforms. Second, always be curious—stay up to date with new trends like AI and cloud innovations. Finally, don’t shy away from challenges; the payments space is complex, but it offers a lot of opportunities to make a meaningful impact. Whether it’s improving the user experience or driving operational efficiency, every problem solved in payments makes a big difference.
