Our Story

Exelsiv was founded on a simple belief: the built environment can work smarter.

Drawing on 15 years of cross-sector experience in construction, technology, and consulting, we help organisations bridge the gap between vision and delivery.

We bring together modern methods of construction, digital systems, and strategic insight to transform how projects are planned, designed and built.

Based in Sydney and working with clients around the world, we work with leaders who want practical solutions that deliver real impact.

Dr. Sindu Satasivam

Director & Principal Consultant

Exelsiv was founded by Dr. Sindu Satasivam, an industry innovator with deep expertise across construction, technology, consulting, and academia. Her work spans modern methods of construction, modular systems innovation, and the design and development of software products tailored to the construction sector, helping organisations reimagine how they design and deliver.

Alongside her consulting work, Sindu co-founded Known Entity, a venture developing cutting-edge software solutions for construction that blend deep industry insight with forward-thinking technology. As a published researcher and contributor to industry thought leadership, she brings a rare ability to translate complex ideas into practical, value-driven strategies.

With a track record of delivering high-impact outcomes for tier-one companies, startups, and government, she brings a rare combination of technical depth, strategic clarity, and creative problem-solving to every engagement.

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Qualifications

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) | Structural Engineering | Monash University

Bachelor of Engineering (BE Hons.) | Civil Engineering | Monash University

Chartered Professional Engineer (MIEAust CPEng) | Engineers Australia

Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) | Scrum Alliance

Professional Experience

  • 2025 -Present

    Sindu co-founded Known Entity and leads product strategy and technology delivery for data-driven risk management solutions in modern construction. She develops digital tools that de-risk projects, with a focus on mass timber, modern methods of construction, and predictive analytics.

    Her work helps clients cut delays and claims, improve insurability, and adopt modern methods with confidence. By turning complex data into clear insights, she enables faster decisions and more predictable, profitable projects.

  • 2022-2024

    Sindu led the development of construction platform products for KPMG Origins, a B2B SaaS blockchain traceability platform within KPMG, designed to enhance visibility and compliance across complex supply chain ecosystems.

    She developed and managed software to track components, materials, and processes across building projects, with a particular focus on solutions for government clients.

    Her work helped clients strengthen transparency, meet regulatory requirements with confidence, and reduce risks across complex projects.

  • 2019-2022

    Sindu spearheaded the development of generative structural design solvers at Lendlease Podium (now Podium.io), a startup venture within Lendlease focused on the development of a digital platform for automation of building design and construction. 

    She transformed traditional engineering practices by integrating automated solvers with a modular kit-of-parts approach, creating design automation linked to a comprehensive digital catalogue that bridges digital software and modern construction methods.

    Her innovations led to the patenting and commercialisation of both physical and digital products, now deployed on projects worldwide.

  • 2016-2019

    Sindu engineered mid-rise commercial and residential buildings using mass timber at Lendlease DesignMake, including Daramu House — a 7-storey commercial timber building in the heart of Sydney. She also designed kit-of-parts and volumetric structural elements using a Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) approach.

    Her work helped prove mass timber at scale, delivering projects that were cost-competitive, faster to build, and more sustainable than traditional methods. By pioneering modular and DfMA-driven systems, she reduced on-site complexity, accelerated delivery, and set new benchmarks that advanced the adoption of mass timber and modern construction methods.

  • 2011-2016

    Sindu performed research in modern methods of construction using advanced composite materials in the Department of Civil Engineering.

    She published novel research findings, presented at national and international conferences, and developed analytical design equations and numerical models that advanced engineering practices. This academic expertise laid the groundwork for her later industry impact, bridging rigorous research with practical applications in modular systems, new materials and product development.

    A full list of her publications can be found here.

Selected Past Experience

  • Daramu House, Barangaroo, Sydney, is a mass timber commercial building.

    Daramu House, Sydney

    Structural design of a landmark commercial building in the heart of Barangaroo, Sydney, delivered using Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) principles for efficiency, quality, and sustainability.

  • Generative structural design tools and digital product catalogues developed to automate engineering processes

    Design Automation

    Developed and patented generative structural design capabilities and digital product catalogues to automate complex engineering processes, and to reduce manual work, improve accuracy and speed-up delivery.

  • Mass timber kit-of-parts lateral brace stability member for commercial building construction

    Kit-of-Parts Design

    Design of kit-of-parts and productised components, including the pictured K-brace system acting as key lateral structural elements, for a modular engineered timber buildings.

  • High-performance connectors for mass timber construction, designed to reduce installation time by 80% and improve project efficiency.

    High-Performing Connectors

    Researched, designed, and developed patented high-performance physical connectors. Connectors achieve an 80% reduction in installation time, significantly improving project efficiency. As of 2024, these connectors are being deployed on mass timber projects in Christchurch, New Zealand.

  • Pre-fabricated modular timber volumetric pods designed to house prefabricated bathrooms and kitchens, providing lateral stability.

    Modular Structural Pods

    Designed stacked core modules that provided lateral stability while housing fully prefabricated bathrooms and kitchens. Engineered for efficient transport, safe installation, and complete architectural and structural integrity.

  • Supply chain traceability, insurance risk, upfront embodied carbon

    Building Risk & Traceability

    Led the market-driven development of supply chain traceability for modular buildings, building risk indicators, and upfront embodied carbon calculations using Blockchain technology. These products helped the industry identify trustworthy assets and increase transparency across construction processes.

  • Research on fibre-reinforced composite materials for modular floor systems. A composite beam under bending, measuring strain using ARAMIS technology.

    Advanced Materials Research

    Researched fibre-reinforced composite materials for modular floor systems, publishing new design methods and analytical models.

Contact Us

Whether you’re exploring a new project, looking to collaborate, or just have a question, get in touch!

We’re based in Sydney, Australia, and work with clients internationally. Connect with us directly using the form, or find us on LinkedIn.