NEWS | RAUF LAUNCHES INNOVATIVE CLIMATE AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE COMPANY POST STANFORD MBA

Materials scientist Rauf Khan says the MBA he received from Stanford University helped him to launch his innovative startup technology company.

Early on in his life, Rauf realised that his community in Birmingham faced low access to education, financial literacy, and a clean environment. He believed technology was fundamental to helping all people access a better life. But often technology was not evenly distributed, and not accessible to those that needed it the most.

After gaining degrees from the University of St Andrews and the University of Cambridge, in Chemistry and Materials Science respectively, Rauf consulted for the British government on commercialising cutting edge, climate-forward technology.

He then took to consulting, finance, and startups, to learn how business works in practice, working at Morgan Stanley, and McKinsey, serving clients across the globe. He joined Arrival, a growth stage electric vehicle startup, as a product lead.

After the successful launch of his electric vehicle product at Dubai Expo 2020, Rauf received a scholarship from the Sainsbury Management Fellowship, to attend the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

“I’m a naturally curious person,” he said. “By getting exposure to lots of different challenges in a short amount of time, my rate of learning quickly increased, which helped me in business. That’s often the case with people who grow up with limited resources but have the urge to grow – we find our own way to learn things.”

“When you learn more, you realise how much more there is still to learn. I had gaps to fill. But I wanted to understand what wasn’t published in books. I wanted to learn counter-intuitive ideas and approaches, from the best minds, who had been there and done it. I wanted to hear the real stories and lessons of starting companies, behind the marketing.”

Rauf believes that the unique resources on the Stanford campus, paired with the drive and experience of the MBA students, created a special environment for learning.

He added: “Doing an MBA is not an easy decision. It requires two years of your life, complete dedication, and lots of funding. Many MBA students make sacrifices. Those that make it to campus form a pool of hungry talent, eager to share, and learn from each other. They are eager to take action. Every single day is filled with activities that students organise.

“I learned so much, not only from professors and lecturers, but guest speakers, mentors in the network, alumni, school staff, and my fellow students.”

Many of Rauf’s classmates have gone on to successful careers in business, technology, investment, government, and social impact.

He said: “The MBA is a two-year canvas to create the life you want to live. Want to meet new people? You can find events to meet co-founders, mentors, or new friends. Curious about neuroscience, longevity, climate, or artificial intelligence? Attend talks by leading researchers across the University. Passionate about sport? Learn how NBA coaches led the best teams in the world. Visit top companies. Hear global leaders and politicians speak. And when you’re done for the day, grab dinner with your new friends, debate your ideas, and bring your voice to the table.”

As well as picking up hard skills, Rauf’s highlight was Stanford’s ‘Interpersonal Dynamics’ course – known to students as ‘Touchy Feely’.

“Touchy Feely helped me understand people better” Rauf said.

“Every workplace is a group of people with a common goal. That network of relationships is dynamic and constantly changing. In that way the class is powerful. It can improve relationships – inside and outside of business.

I learned to share my intention before a sensitive discussion, to tailor my feedback to what the other person needed, to trust my instincts in ambiguous situations. I learned how my cultural experiences shaped me in ways I couldn’t understand alone.

I learned that being direct is being kind. For people that want to grow, it’s best to hold the mirror to them honestly, so they can see their blind spots. Most of all, I left with a group of close friends, who I will stay in touch with throughout my life.”

Post MBA, Rauf launched an early-stage artificial intelligence startup, tackling climate change.

His company, Vanilla AI, aims to increase the adoption of clean technology for businesses and homes using artificial intelligence and software. It is undergoing pilot projects in the San Francisco Bay area in the US, before scaling nationally.

“In the US, 30% of all energy consumed is due to buildings. We must make buildings cleaner. But every building is unique. Selling and installing cleantech requires businesses to perform many non-repeatable tasks over and over again, which reduces their margins. This extra cost trickles down to the end user, which ultimately reduces adoption.

“At Vanilla AI, we believe software and artificial intelligence can automate many of these processes, helping clean-tech businesses perform better, and in turn, increasing access to clean-tech for building owners.

“The communities I grew up in, in the UK, Europe, South East Asia, and the Middle East, all face climate challenges, and limited access to affordable clean-tech. Using platforms like Vanilla AI, we can eventually accelerate clean-tech adoption across the globe.”

Rauf is grateful for his MBA experience, and for programs like the Sainsbury Management Fellowship.

He concluded: “There are so many incredible people who are left out. At one time, I felt left out too. I had lucky breaks. I had great parents who pushed me to dream bigger. I met people who cared about me a tiny bit more than they were obligated to and drove me to try harder.

“We can make others lucky, by helping them discover new opportunities, connecting them with people from their community who have done what they dream of doing, and offering funding so they can go after it. That is a powerful combination. That is what the Sainsbury Management Fellowship is all about.”

Find out more about the Sainsbury Management Fellows scholarship.