How Identity Has Influenced a Co-Founder and CTO at Koru Global's Career
Devarshan's journey as an international student from India, navigating career challenges like "cultural differences" and visa restrictions on certain fields, fostered resilience and adaptability. This experience, coupled with early leadership roles in a startup, provided invaluable skills in strategic thinking and working with limited resources, ultimately shaping their diverse perspective and career success.
Overcoming Challenges, Resilience, Executive/Leadership, International Experience, Strategic Thinking
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Devarshan Patel
Co-Founder & CTO
Koru Global Inc
Arizona State University IRA Fulton and Arizona State University (ASU) - W. P. Carey
NA
Business & Related, Business Management & Admin, Entrepreneurship
Technology
Product / Service / Software Development and Management
International Student, Scholarship Recipient, Immigrant, Worked 20+ Hours in School, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Navigating career challenges as an international student (cultural differences, language barriers, visa restrictions).
2. Building resilience and adaptability by working with limited resources.
3. Leveraging diverse background and international perspective for strategic thinking and innovation in a startup environment.
Transcript
As an international student, how has that impacted how you've navigated your career?
Sure. As someone who moved from India to the US at the age of 17 on an F1 visa, navigating my career has been a unique journey. The challenges I faced, such as cultural differences, language barriers, and not being able to work in fields like cybersecurity, defense, and advanced robotics, have all made me more resilient and adaptable.
Working with limited resources also taught me valuable lessons. Holding a board position at a growing startup at a young age and negotiating with different investors, key stakeholders, and other companies added complexity. However, it also taught me the importance of strategic thinking.
My diverse background has given me a different perspective that I bring to my work. This has been a significant asset in collaborating with stakeholders and driving innovation, based on the opportunities I’ve had in the US.