Meet The MIT Sloan MBA Class of 2019

Kaavya Gupta 

MIT, Sloan School of Management 

Describe yourself in 15 words or less:  A blended harmony of entrepreneur, marketer and musician.

Hometown: New Delhi, India

Fun Fact About Yourself: I was the lead vocalist of a fusion cover band, managed by Sony Music India, that launched of Michael Jackson’s posthumous album in India

Undergraduate School and Major: 

Young India Fellowship, Ashoka University – Post Graduate Certificate in Liberal Arts & Leadership (2013)

Hindu College, University of Delhi – B.A. Economics (Honors) (2012)

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

• Alterbeat. com, Founder & CEO

Alterbeat.com is an opportunity marketplace for creative/alternative fields

• Godrej Industries Limited and Associate Companies – E-Commerce Marketing Head of Godrej Nature’s Basket(Godrej Nature’s Basket is India’s largest gourmet food retailer with annual sales of US$40M)

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far:  Building an idea that I feel strongly about into a globally accepted platform has been my biggest professional accomplishment thus far.

When I left my hometown to begin my marketing career at a multinational conglomerate in Mumbai, I was worried I would leave my band, and hence my music, behind. However, I discovered that many others who were creatively inclined were facing a challenge in pursuing their passion as they lacked opportunities to do so. This led me to launch Alterbeat — a platform that would provide easy access to such opportunities.

I taught myself how to build a website as I had no prior technical experience, and launched the BETA version of Alterbeat.com in February 2016. Alterbeat was selected as one of the top 50 startups from 30 countries, and the only one from India, for Southeast Asia’s largest, fully-funded accelerator program initiated by the Government of Malaysia and the Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Center. I got the opportunity to work alongside 100 entrepreneurs from around the world to take Alterbeat closer to its vision of connecting creators and innovators with worldwide opportunities.

To date, Alterbeat has helped more than 220 organizations around the world to recruit creative talent for their teams.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants?  Be authentic and true to yourself. Don’t feel the need to be someone you’re not. As an applicant and admit, make sure to highlight and demonstrate how your strengths, skills and experiences will be a unique addition to your class and the school.

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you?  At MIT, I’m excited about joining a community that believes in action-oriented learning, collaboration, and innovation – values that will not only help me grow my company, Alterbeat, from a start-up into a successful global business but also give me the opportunity to combine my varied interests in entrepreneurship, marketing and the arts. Even before I start school this Fall, I have been given the opportunity to co-chair the annual Hacking Arts 2017 Conference which celebrates entrepreneurship and innovation of the creative arts.

The entrepreneurial resources and knowledge the school provides through the Martin Trust Center for Entrepreneurship, The Legatum Center and the MIT Media Lab will enable me to build and test my product.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school?  Success would be enhancing the Alterbeat platform based on learnings from my class and interactions with professors, mentors, entrepreneurs and business leaders through the year.