We always want to get to know you but realize that you probably know little about us. This interview series is a way to introduce you to our team.

Our PowerMarket team is lively and hardworking. We are also passionate about clean energy and the benefits it can bring to communities, including many of our own.

So get to know us, learn more about the community solar industry, and always feel free to reach out. In case you haven’t been able to tell, we love talking about community solar and are happy to answer any questions you may have.


Kishan, how long have you been at PowerMarket?

I have been at PowerMarket for two and a half years. I was an intern for a summer and worked throughout the school year. I then started full time after I graduated.


What drew you to clean energy?

There was actually a class that I took called Introduction to Human Centered Design. It just so happened that the year I took that class, the final project revolved around saving energy. We had to design a product that would help homeowners save energy. That was one of my first exposures to the energy space. It forced me to do research on clean energy and piqued my interest.


How did you first hear about PowerMarket?

I first learned about PowerMarket at a Columbia career fair. I thought the company was doing really cool things and they were also looking for a front-end developer. So that event was the initial connection. They were kind enough to bring me into the office and give me a tour. I applied and got the internship and it was during that time that I learned more and more about the industry. I realized that this is a super exciting and constantly evolving space to be in and I ended up continuing with PowerMarket full time once I graduated.

It is great that you joined PowerMarket right out of college and have stayed with the company since. What is your degree in?

I studied computer science, focusing on intelligent systems, which spans topics such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and computer vision. I also took classes that focused on user interface and user experience design, which have come in handy for the work I do at PowerMarket.


What ultimately made you want to join the PowerMarket team?

It was a combination of factors. While I was in the market for jobs across the board in computer science, what led me to PowerMarket was the mission of the company first and foremost. The people, the culture and the opportunities at PowerMarket are also pretty amazing. On top of all of that, as a developer, I thought working in a startup environment would be a good way for me to do a broad spectrum of things within development.


What was your proudest moment at PowerMarket?

My proudest moment was probably our recent website launch which included a rebrand. That was a pretty big undertaking from a design perspective. But even from a technology perspective, we really fundamentally changed how the website was structured. On the whole, I enjoy building new customer facing features on the PowerMarket website.


What makes you excited to come to work every morning?

At PowerMarket, I don't feel like I'm talking to just colleagues. I feel like I'm also talking to friends. It’s a pleasure to come into work everyday because I feel like I'm amongst friends or family.


What do you like about the PowerMarket culture?

Everybody at the company, regardless of age, has energy and zeal. I also feel like my opinion is heard and respected and I like that things are not too hierarchical. Even as an intern, I felt like I had the same ability to be heard as someone who had been at the company for years. There’s also a genuine attempt or interest in everybody staying in touch and really bonding through company events. Everyone is always excited to go to them and see each other outside the office setting.


Through our technology, what problems are we solving in the industry?

The energy industry is somewhat bureaucratic. There's a tendency for technology to be a few years behind the times. PowerMarket helps automate a lot of processes that just take a lot of time and manpower. I also see our platform as not just a service that we provide, but also somewhat of an educational platform that boosts awareness of consumers' options for ‘going green.’ I think that technology is the most effective channel these days for spreading that awareness. It feels like we're somewhat of a pioneer in this space of community solar and it just makes sense that we would use the power of technology to spread the word.


What’s one thing that most people don’t know about you?

Something most people don’t know about me is that I am really into photography. I like taking photos and then often do my own computer science projects that relate to digital imagery.