International Spotlight: Sarvadnya Amarendra Kulkarni, Graduate Student

Which program/department are you in?

I am in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research (IEOR).

What is your primary area of study or research? 

Management Science and Engineering.

Which country (or countries) do you come from?

India.

How long have you been in the U.S.?

I came to the U.S. in December 2020 when COVID-19 was at its peak. As expected by me as well as by my friends, there was much that was gained, as well as much that was lost, in our unwanted suspension of campus life during the coronavirus pandemic.

I could no longer enjoy the camaraderie of Columbia facilities like Dodge fitness Center, Butler Library, etc. Finding an internship was a challenge because companies went on hiring freezes which made me get into the groove of finding an internship as soon as I came to New York while at the same time balancing working on my startup.

However, surviving through this, I am grateful for an invaluable lesson in dealing with how unpredictable life can be.

“I was the person with a plan.” However, the pandemic put that in stop mode. It has made me realize that not knowing the next step doesn’t mean my world is going to crumble. I think it made me less scared to face the unknown and adapt to change by making the most of what I have.

Is there anything you’d like to share about your research or projects?

I am a serial entrepreneur with past expertise in Manufacturing, VR tech, and now eMobility driven logistics.

I am currently working on a startup called DeliverE which is a tech enabled eMobility driven last mile delivery service trying to boost local rural economy in India. Our tier-2 city focused service offers a novel solution by being a tech-enabled e-mobility delivery service that uses battery swapping. A customer can place an order at any of our partner stores which also host our battery swapping stations. The partner stores, via an app, place the delivery order with us which is immediately picked up by our drivers. Our technology ensures that there is minimal time-lag and dead time, while also saving on operational costs and benefiting the environment.

DeliverE won the Columbia CVC Urban Works India Challenge 2021 from 250 startups who participated. We have won $25,000 cash straight up in the form of a non dilutive grant and funding opportunity too. We have already received commitments for our seed round and have 20+ customers as of now.

I am also working as a product manager intern currently with IQVIA, a fortune 500 company which specializes in Healthcare enterprise solutions.

What do you like to do (hobbies, etc)?

In my spare time, I love to play tennis and travel. I also love to read entrepreneurial books and listen to startup podcasts. I aspire to be a VC after my entrepreneurship stints and to have my own impact driven fund in the future.

Connect with Sarvadnya on LinkedIn.

Are you (or do you know) an international student, scholar, or alumni?

We’re looking to spotlight stories of academic or professional work, leadership, or personal adjustment to life at Columbia and NY in particular and the U.S. in general.

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