Madhavi Shankar

I learned the power of collaboration. It’s such an incredible tool.

Collaborating with students from many cultures at UTS was such a rich experience. It really helped develop my ability to effectively communicate and connect with my peers through coursework and other activities. This for me is an important trait as an entrepreneur.

I would choose entrepreneurship as part of my coursework. Studying this at UTS would have been a great value-add.

The ability to positively contribute to society while adding value to people’s lives. With my company SpaceBasic, we’re grateful to work towards this goal every day. 

Moving to Australia was a defining moment in my life. I come from a culturally rich country, one where we are often made to believe that our families and society know what’s best for us. Students and young adults seldom exercise the power of independent thinking. 

I moved to Australia to further my education, earning a Master of Engineering and an MBA from UTS. While I was here, I had no choice but to practice independent thinking every day to make small and big decisions. This enabled me to choose courses that I was interested in, and it enabled me to select a job that I like and so on. The ability to think independently not only made me feel empowered, but made it possible for me to progress in my coursework and career. 

The world needs more young entrepreneurs working towards the United Nations’ sustainable development goals. I am a part of 1M2030, an initiative by the UN to motivate one million young adults and students – especially women – to choose to become entrepreneurs by 2030. I strongly believe in this cause.

Meeting people from different cultures and walks of life, and coming together and learning what motivated them to pursue a course of study really opened up my perspective. And the friendships I formed at UTS are still part of my life today.

I believe the ability to practice independent thinking about what interests you and working hard towards it, without having to pick a popular option or succumb to pressure, is an important skill to build. 

Solve a real problem, conduct thorough due diligence, and always validate your product with your customers and potential customers. Most importantly, trust your gut and don’t give up!