SAURABH UKEYBUSINESS DESIGNER
THE ASCENT / A DESIGNER’S JOURNEY

✳ UX × PRODUCT STRATEGY × SOCIAL IMPACT

GOOD DESIGN.GREATER IMPACT.

I’m Saurabh. I turn complex systems into human experiences — and human needs into businesses that matter.

Explore my work Follow my journey
↗
HUMAN AT HEART.
SYSTEMS IN MIND.
Based in India · Inspired by the mountainsBEGIN THE CLIMB
01 / SELECTED WORKREAL CHALLENGES. INTENTIONAL DESIGN.

THE WORK. THE DIFFERENCE.

From enterprise complexity to last-mile access. Five projects where design moves things forward.

Keep exploring · 16 more projects, ventures and experiments
IN THE BACKPACK
Figma✳Sketch✳Jira✳Prototyping✳Journey mapping✳Service blueprints✳Design systems✳Figma✳Sketch✳Jira✳Prototyping✳Journey mapping✳Service blueprints✳Design systems✳
02 / THE JOURNEY

NO STRAIGHT PATH. JUST A PURPOSE.

Engineer. Volunteer. Entrepreneur. Designer. Each chapter changed the way I see the next.

01

2014 — 2018 · THE FOUNDATION

CHAPTER 01

Computer Engineering + Leo Club

Tech was the tool. Empathy was the driver.

My B.E. in Computer Engineering at Ramrao Adik Institute of Technology gave me technical roots. Volunteering with Leo Club taught me what those skills could serve. I helped lead volunteer-run classes in underserved communities in CBD Belapur, Navi Mumbai, and went on to serve as President of Leo Club of Vashi and Zone Chairperson.

LEARNING TO SERVE
Technical roots
+
Human purpose
VOLUNTEERS → CLASSES → OPPORTUNITYIllustration of community connections
PERSPECTIVE UNLOCKED

Learning to lead by listening.

Continue the ascent
02

2018 — 2021 · THE FIRST ASCENT

CHAPTER 02

Senior SAP Consultant · LTI

Global systems. A different perspective.

At LTI, I worked in SAP governance, risk, compliance, administration and security problem analysis for L’Oréal across Canada, North America and LATAM, and Clarios across Europe and North America. Remote work also gave me room to travel. At 3,500 metres, wrappers, toothbrushes and plastic waste interrupted a beautiful mountain view. The question stayed with me: what could I do about it?

A CHANGE IN PERSPECTIVE
3,500METRES ABOVE THE EVERYDAY
A BEAUTIFUL VIEW. AN UNCOMFORTABLE QUESTION.
PERSPECTIVE UNLOCKED

A wake-up call at 3,500 metres.

Continue the ascent
03

2020 — 2021 · THE PIVOT

CHAPTER 03

The Gaea Store

A small store. A whole new direction.

I started The Gaea Store, named after the Greek goddess of Earth, to make a more conscious lifestyle accessible through plastic-free alternatives in bamboo, cotton, jute, neem wood and metal. While building the e-commerce experience and understanding customers, I discovered UX design. It connected my engineering background with people, business and the world around me.

CONSCIOUS CHOICES
Bamboo
Cotton & jute
Neem & metal
TECHBUSINESSDESIGNUX
A STORE BECAME A NEW WAY OF THINKING.
PERSPECTIVE UNLOCKED

Discovery unlocked: user experience design.

Continue the ascent
04

2021 — 2022 · THE SOLO MISSION

CHAPTER 04

UX Designer I · Samaaro

Learning by building the experience.

During lockdown, events needed to be more than another video call. As the only designer at Samaaro, I worked on expo booths, auditoriums, lounges and marketplace experiences for virtual events with thousands of attendees. Working directly with the CEO sharpened my ownership. It also helped me see the next thing I needed: a mentor.

BEYOND THE VIDEO CALL
REGISTRATION
VIRTUAL
AUDITORIUM
EXPO BOOTHSLOUNGE
MARKETPLACE
ONE DESIGNER. A WHOLE WORLD OF EXPERIENCES.Conceptual event map
PERSPECTIVE UNLOCKED

Ownership grew. So did my curiosity.

Continue the ascent
05

2022 — AUG 2024 · THE MASTERY

CHAPTER 05

Associate User Experience Lead · Persistent

Bigger challenges. Stronger foundations.

Persistent recognised my passion for design and sustainability. With mentorship, I grew through identity management for Charles Schwab, radiation-therapy analytics for Mirion Medical, broadcast CRM for Operative and an internal AI story generator. Research, stakeholder alignment, systems thinking and daily design reviews became part of my practice. Client appreciation made this a deeply rewarding chapter.

SYSTEMS THINKING, IN PRACTICE
01UNDERSTANDResearch & stakeholder alignment
02CONNECTJourneys, flows & design systems
03MAKE IT REALPrototypes, feedback & iteration
MENTORSHIP → PRACTICE → CONFIDENCE
PERSPECTIVE UNLOCKED

From designing screens to understanding systems.

Continue the ascent
06

AUG 2024 — NOW · THE NEXT SUMMIT

CHAPTER 06

Rediscovery + Gramtek

Space to wander. Purpose to return to.

Leaving my job in August 2024 was a leap of faith. Cooking by rivers, cycling through forests, cricket, table tennis, kayaking and long-overdue conversations gave me space to rediscover what mattered. A friend brought me a grassroots challenge: improving access to menstrual care in rural Maharashtra. At Gramtek, I now work across design, growth and solution consulting — connecting a desirable experience with a viable service.

BACK TO WHAT MATTERS
RiversCricketKayakingConnection
PEOPLE. TRUST. THE LAST MILE.Illustrative service network · not a geographic map
PERSPECTIVE UNLOCKED

UX Designer + Growth PM + Solutions Consultant → Business Designer.

See the impact
03 / THE CURRENT CHAPTER

GRAMTEK / RURAL MAHARASHTRA

CLOSER TO PEOPLE. BIGGER IN PURPOSE.

At Gramtek, the interface is only one part of the service. Local agents, training, doorstep delivery and accountable operations make the whole experience work.

018 lakhPads distributed
021 lakhVillagers served
03200Local agents employed

Programme figures supplied by Saurabh · a snapshot of the work, not live data

UX Design+Product Growth+Business StrategyBUSINESS DESIGN
04 / THE EXPLORER’S COLLECTION

MORE PATHS. ONE DESIGN PRACTICE.

Products, ventures and experiments that extend the journey. Recent builds combine my product and design direction with AI-assisted development; each field note makes its stage and limits clear.

16 field notes · showing 6

Different domains. The same question.What would make this work better for people?

Let’s explore it together
05 / THE NEXT SUMMIT

GOOD THINGS START WITH A CONVERSATION.

LET’S BUILD SOMETHING THAT MATTERS.

A complex product, an early idea, or a business ready for its next chapter. Let’s find the way forward.

Let’s talk
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