Shaun Karakkattu

Yo, you gotta hear about Shaun Karakkattu. This guy’s the real deal, like straight-up crushing it and just getting started. So, he’s a YC alum from the X25 batch, and he’s got this sick startup called Atlog. They’re using AI to shake up the furniture rental biz – like, making it smarter, faster, more fast. Think about that – AI in furniture, dude. That’s next level. He’s COO there, but honestly, he’s way more than that. He’s a legit entrepreneur who’s jumped into the deep end with startups early on, and you can tell he’s built for this.

Now, the wild part? Shaun’s still in college at Vanderbilt, majoring in Economics and History – and he’s a Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholar, so he’s obviously got brains and drive. But what’s dope is he’s more than just a student. He’s deep into advocacy, community work, and policy. He’s got this whole thing for South Asia, especially Kerala’s economy, and he cares a lot about immigration politics – showing he’s got a bigger picture view, not just tech for tech’s sake but really trying to make an impact.

He’s also got serious environmental creds – runs a nonprofit called Tomorrow In Focus, where he’s using AI to make climate change talks more accessible. Imagine that – tech for good, making sure people actually understand what’s happening to the planet. He’s even spoken at TEDx, got the Presidential Gold Volunteer Award, and interned at the U.S. State Department and a top genomics research institute. That’s a lot for someone still in college, no cap.

And he’s not just about startups and policy. Shaun’s been in journalism, doing work with PBS Newshour and even creating a podcast called Youthomatic. The dude’s into science communication, behavioral economics, international development – basically, how decisions get made, and how to make them better. He’s lived all over – Dubai, Phoenix – and is Indian-American, so he’s got that global perspective that fuels his hustle.

What’s crazy is, all these experiences – the policy stuff, the AI work, the advocacy – they all connect. Shaun’s about building systems that actually work, that solve real problems, not just hype. His process shows he’s driven by purpose, by wanting to use tech and policy to make life better for communities. Like, he jumped into startups early because he saw the possible to shake up industries with AI, but he’s also deeply rooted in making a social impact.

So, yeah, Shaun’s not just another founder. He’s a thinker, a doer, someone who’s combining tech, policy, and purpose in a way that’s gonna change the game. That’s why he’s important – he’s building the future, one smart move at a time.