Sebastian Bardacosta Artagaveytia

University of California-Berkeley, Haas School of Business

“Fulbright Scholar building climate solutions while enduring micromanagement from my 1-year-old CEO son.”

Hometown: Montevideo, Uruguay

Fun Fact About Yourself: My great-grandfather Ramon Artagaveytia died on the Titanic. I think he actually was Leo DiCaprio.

Undergraduate School and Major: Universidad ORT Uruguay: Telecommunications Engineering

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Signify (Formerly Philips Lighting): Regional Segment Leader, Smart Cities & Sports Lighting

Berkeley Haas is founded on four Defining Leadership Principles: Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always, and Beyond Yourself. Which principle resonates most with you and why? Question the Status Quo resonated with me instantly: I don’t like sitting around waiting for things to magically happen. I try hard to make them happen.

While I’ve never fully identified with the stereotypical image of an engineer, I recognize that the mindset stuck with me after college: questioning everything, being curious about how things work, and thinking creatively to solve problems. At Haas, I found a community that shares that instinct. People that are unafraid to ask, “What if we did this differently?”

What excites you about earning your MBA in the Bay Area? The Bay Area feels like a live-action movie where every character is building something that literally changes the world. That’s exactly the kind of story I want to be part of.

Here, I’ve already seen ideas and action collide everywhere: Things are actually getting done. I’m super excited to meet people who will shape the trajectory of my life—and hopefully share something that leaves a mark on theirs too. I don’t know exactly what the outcome of my time here will be, but I do know this: I’ll give it everything I have, so whatever happens, I’ll walk away with no regrets.

What was the key part of Berkeley Haas’ MBA curriculum or programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? I was looking for a hands-on program, a program to turn ideas into actions. The Lean LaunchPad course is a great example of that. Some years ago before Haas, I learned about the Lean Startup methodology and loved it. So when the Lean Startup Machine event came to Uruguay, I went all in. I thought the motto, “Get out of the building”, was just a metaphor. Spoiler: it wasn’t. During an entire weekend, we built a startup by actually leaving the building, talking to strangers, pivoting, and realizing our brilliant ideas weren’t that brilliant. It was uncomfortable, humbling, and honestly, kind of fun.

When I found out about Lean LaunchPad at Haas, it felt like that same energy—but taken to the next level. Real testing, real users, real feedback. Less theory, more doing. I wasn’t looking for a class where you build a business plan in a PPT—I wanted to “get out of the building” with my classmates.

What course, club, or activity excites you the most at Berkeley Haas? It would definitely be the Latin American and Hispanic Business Association (LAHBA) and the Haas Soccer Club.

LAHBA feels like home—same roots, same drive, and a chance to build real bridges between Haas and Latin America. And soccer is the best way to build teamwork, blow off steam, and keep bad decisions safely off my academic record.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: From a numbers perspective, I’m proud to have contributed to building several smart cities in Latin America that now save over 60% of their energy—a saving equivalent to planting a forest of approximately 480,000 trees. Thanks to Signify, I also had the chance to light more than 22 stadiums across the continent, including giants like Estadio Azteca in Mexico and Estadio Monumental in Argentina, where historic World Cup finals have been played.

But honestly, the one that meant the most wasn’t really about numbers. It was lighting Estadio Centenario for the 2021 Copa Libertadores final. That stadium holds a huge emotional meaning for me—it’s where my dad took me to my first futbol match as a kid. It was a full-circle moment when, years later, I was the one who took him back—this time so he could see me bringing the stadium’s lighting to life for that final.

At this point, what do you hope to do after graduation?
First, I want to fully establish myself as an entrepreneur. As a Fulbright scholar, I was chosen to develop greentechs through entrepreneurship—one of Uruguay’s eight nationally established fields of interest.

Second, I want to serve as a bridge—connecting Silicon Valley’s amazing entrepreneurship ecosystem with Uruguay’s growing potential as a tech talent hub. I believe there’s massive value to unlock when those two worlds collaborate, and I want to help open the path to make that happen.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Berkeley Haas’ MBA program? Be a Haasie before you’re officially a Haasie.

Don’t wait for the acceptance letter to start engaging—immerse yourself early as a prospective student. Make friends. Connect with current students honestly and not to impress but to learn from their experience. Think about a specific thing you could contribute to your future classmates and reach out to help the Haasies who are already working on that. You’ll soon start seeing how Haasies begin helping you, too. The more you engage, the more you’ll know if Haas is the right fit—and if it is, your application will reflect that naturally. Haas is looking for people that fit like a gear to help move the whole community forward.

DON’T MISS: MEET THE UC BERKELEY HAAS MBA CLASS OF 2027

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