Arvind Chandaka

Connect: ac896@cornell.edu, LinkedIn

Position: Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Carnotfleet

College and Class Year: College of Engineering, 2018

Tell us about what you're doing with your life, including what brought you to the Bay Area.

I'm currently focused on building my company, Carnotfleet, where we're developing IoT-enabled solutions for Cold Chain Logistics. The leap into the startup world is what originally brought me to the Bay Area–arguably the global epicenter of innovation and entrepreneurship–and it's been a launching pad that's taken me around the world.

In what ways have you stayed connected with Cornell since graduating?

I stay connected to Cornell in a variety of ways. When I'm in town, I attend Cornell NorCal events, and over the years, I've also supported the local CAAAN groups with interviewing in the many places I've lived across the country. As a member of the Cornell Club NYC, I make a point to attend events there whenever I’m in the city. But above all, it’s the lifelong friendships and relationships I built at Cornell that keep me most closely tied to the university–they’re part of my everyday life.

If you could go back to your years on the Hill - what one piece of advice would you share with that younger version of you?

There’s so much I could share, but one piece of advice would be to invest more time in building connections–with people both inside and outside your college. I’d also encourage being thoughtful and selective when choosing classes and clubs. Cornell’s “Any person, any study” ethos is amazing and a true beacon for all those yearning to learn as much as possible. But sometimes, depth can be more rewarding than breadth. Focusing deeply on a few meaningful pursuits often leaves a stronger imprint than trying to experience everything under the sun.

What was the most important class, club or connection made while at Cornell that has been important in your career (or life) journey?

Rather than a single class standing out, what truly shaped my experience was the ability to layer my education across engineering, business, and other colleges at Cornell. That interdisciplinary approach was incredibly impactful–especially as an early graduate 1-3 years out of Cornell–giving me a broader perspective and a more adaptable foundation as I launched my career.

The most impactful club for me was the Cornell International Business Association (CIBA, today known as IBC) as the friends I have made there are still some of my closest friends and it's actually where I met my wife!