Technology entrepreneur, designer, & writer focused on the intersection of innovation & ethics.
The Berkeley
Graduation Speech
I was asked to speak at Berkeley’s 2025 graduation. I spoke about my story and shared unconventional lessons about loss, love, grit, fear and the future.
About Chai Mishra
Chai is is the Founder and CEO of The Essential, a Y Combinator and venture-backed ethical commerce company funded by the leading lights of Silicon Valley and beyond.
Chai previously served on the board of UNICEF, and has advised cities, universities, national sports teams and Fortune 500 corporations.
A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Chai’s work has also been covered in TechCrunch, SF Chronicle, Business Insider, SF Business Week, The Huffington Post, Adweek, and other publications.
Chai currently serves as an Entrepreneur in Residence at Wefunder, an equity crowdfunding platform reimagining who gets to own the future of technology.
With a background in both operational leadership and public thought, Chai is known for his deep and principled approach to entrepreneurship—asking not just what we can build, but what we should.
Born and raised in New Delhi, Chai currently lives in Berkeley, California.
