Indian-origin analyst in US quits JPMorgan for AI firm to 'spend less time on grunt work'

'AI and technology have completely transformed my workflow as a banker,' Varun Agarwal said. (Image credit: LinkedIn)

An Indian-origin analyst in New York said he left a high-paying role at JPMorgan to join an AI-native investment bank based in Singapore, viewing it as a calculated risk that aligned with his long-term goals.

“For a college graduate looking to work in finance, it's typically a no-brainer to pursue a career in investment banking,” Varun Agarwal told Business Insider. He began his career at Piper Sandler and later joined JPMorgan, both roles based in the Bay Area, San Francisco. “The biggest lesson I learned from my time in investment banking was how to perform a wide variety of tasks efficiently. It also taught me how to ask the right questions when evaluating businesses.”

Exposure to startups changed his mindset
While investment banking was the safer choice, Agarwal admits he considered joining a startup early on. “What held me back was my own aversion to risk,” he said.  But working in Silicon Valley changed that. “Seeing 21-year-olds start companies and raise millions of dollars was exhilarating. I thought to myself then, ‘Hey, why can't I do that too?’”

OffDeal offered a mission that resonated

Agarwal told Business Insider that he discovered OffDeal through a LinkedIn post by founder Ori Eldarov. “I was drawn to OffDeal's mission and its use of AI and software to address the exact pain points I faced as a junior banker at JPMorgan,” he said.

He connected personally with the firm’s focus on small businesses. “My mom runs her own dental practice and is a small-business owner,” he said. “I knew I had to be a part of OffDeal.”

AI transformed his workflow
“At JPMorgan, a company valuation could take weeks or even months,” Agarwal said. “At OffDeal, it can be completed in one to two days at most.” He now works on 10 to 11 deals at a time, compared to two or three previously.

“AI and technology have completely transformed my workflow as a banker,” he said. “Now's the best time to join an AI startup.”