From Engineer to Sustainability Leader

The story of Sustavarse begins with an engineer who refused to accept the status quo. Akhil Krishna graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, specializing in thermal systems and HVAC design. For years, he worked on the technical side—designing chillers, optimizing airflow, calculating heat loads. He understood machines intimately.

But Akhil noticed something troubling. The most brilliant engineering solutions often never reached the buildings that needed them most. The disconnect wasn't technical—it was communicational. Engineers spoke in BTUs and coefficients; building owners spoke in budgets and timelines. Someone needed to bridge that gap.

So Akhil pivoted. He moved into business development and sales, learning the language of ROI, risk mitigation, and stakeholder management. He discovered that his engineering background wasn't a limitation in business—it was his greatest asset. While others sold products, he could explain exactly why a particular solution would work, how it would perform in India's challenging climate, and what kind of returns to expect.

During his corporate years, Akhil watched as the sustainability movement exploded. Solar panels appeared on rooftops across the country. Electric vehicles became mainstream talking points. Carbon neutrality became a boardroom buzzword. Yet something was missing from the conversation.

HVAC systems. The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning infrastructure that keeps hospitals operational, data centers running, offices comfortable, and malls functional. In India's tropical climate, these systems work overtime—and they consume staggering amounts of energy doing it.

Akhil saw the opportunity clearly: sustainable HVAC technologies existed globally. They were proven, effective, and delivered genuine ROI. But building owners in India didn't know about them. There was no one to bring these solutions to market, adapt them for local conditions, and guide clients through implementation.

The decision to leave his corporate career wasn't easy. But once Akhil recognized the scale of the problem—and his unique position to solve it—staying wasn't an option. He resigned, stepped into uncertainty, and began building what would become Sustavarse.