Kira Smiley

Harvard Business School

“I am a Finnish-American environmental scientist turned deep tech entrepreneur passionate about building climate-forward businesses.”

Hometown: Bend, Oregon

Fun Fact About Yourself: I can speak 6 languages (ranging from conversational up to fluent).

Undergraduate School and Major:

Stanford University: BS in Earth Systems and minor in Japanese

Stanford University: MS in Earth Systems, focus of ‘food security and the environment’

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Global Director of Sales and Marketing at TidalX AI (a Google X spinout company)

What makes the case method so attractive as a means to learn and become a better manager? It is the chance to get a crash course in exponentially more real-world business situations compared to what I otherwise would experience in the space of two years. This is a great accelerator for building strong managerial judgement.

Aside from your classmates and cases, what was the key part of Harvard Business School’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? The access to world class professors and a cohort of future business leaders, and exposure to new and variable ways of thinking.

What course, club, or activity excites you the most at Harvard Business School? I’ve loved all the people I’ve met in the Climate and Energy Club. It is inspiring to surround myself with people finding unique and interesting ways to build businesses better for the planet and a long-term resilient future.

When you think of Harvard Business School, what is the first word that comes to mind? Why? Firehose! So much is happening all the time that it feels like trying to drink from a firehose.

Looking at your recruitment, what was the moment when you realized Harvard Business School was the right program for you? Why? I chose on the final possible day! I was not certain at all, even after paying the initial fee to secure a spot, because I was lucky enough to have some great options. However, the opportunity to expand my network beyond Stanford and Silicon Valley, to explore the East Coast, and to do so at a top-tier program was compelling.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Playing a key role in the public launch of my company upon spinout from Alphabet and subsequently launching commercial operations across four different continents.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far? Sleeping more than six hours on most nights!

In all seriousness, I was selected as Co-Chair for the 2026 Tech Conference as part of the Tech Club leadership team, and am looking forward to hosting a compelling conference with my incredible team.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Harvard Business School’s MBA program? Rather than trying to portray yourself as the type of person you think your dream MBA program is looking for, be yourself and lean into the aspects of your personality and experiences and career that might not fit the norm. Focus on trying to tell your story as clearly as possible, emphasizing not only what you will get out of the program, but why you in particular would significantly contribute to the class.

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