Work with Vaishnavi
About
I'm an architect turned entrepreneur, a Harvard Graduate School of Design alum, and a venture-backed founder who believes a background in architecture and design can open doors far beyond traditional practice. My journey has taken me from studying architecture in India and Italy to earning an M.Arch II from the University of Michigan and a Master in Design Studies from Harvard GSD, and eventually building technology companies in the United States. I co-founded ArchSlate, a venture-backed startup that raised $1 million, grew to over 100,000 users, and served 500+ architecture firms. I later founded Zenoya, a technology platform built to help architecture and design firms run their businesses more effectively. Along the way, I've experienced the challenges of choosing the right graduate program, building a competitive portfolio, changing career directions, starting a company, finding customers, and raising venture capital. I've learned what works, what doesn't, and how much the right guidance can change someone's trajectory. Today, I help three groups of people: ➜ Aspiring & Early-Stage Founders: Turn ideas into businesses. From validating your startup idea and building your first product to finding customers, developing your go-to-market strategy, and preparing to raise capital. ➜ Architecture & Design Students: Navigate master's admissions with clarity and confidence. I help students choose the right universities and programs, strengthen their portfolios, develop compelling applications, and prepare for graduate study in the United States. ➜ Architecture & Design Professionals: Figure out what's next. Whether you're feeling stuck, considering a career change, exploring opportunities in technology, thinking about starting your own practice, or questioning whether further education is worth it, I help you evaluate your options and build a practical path forward. My coaching is direct, personalized, and grounded in real experience. I don't believe in generic advice or one-size-fits-all roadmaps. Whether you're choosing your next degree, rethinking your career, or building your first company, my goal is simple: help you make better decisions, avoid expensive mistakes, and move forward with clarity and confidence.
Vaishnavi also coaches for Master’s Programs and Architecture. View all.
Vaishnavi’s Startup Founders Qualifications
Coaches professionally
Experience level: Executive
Helping architects, engineers, designers, and technical experts become startup founders. I never planned to become a startup founder. I began my career in architecture before earning graduate degrees from the University of Michigan and Harvard Graduate School of Design. While at Harvard, I joined Harvard Innovation Labs, where I was exposed to entrepreneurship and the startup ecosystem. That experience changed the trajectory of my career. Since then, I've co-founded two technology companies serving the architecture industry, including Zenoya, an AI platform backed by Forum Ventures. Along the way I've validated ideas, built products, raised venture funding, pitched investors, hired teams, and navigated the realities of building startups from the ground up. Today, I help architects, engineers, designers, and other technical professionals take the leap into entrepreneurship. Whether you're exploring your first idea, building an MVP, preparing to raise capital, or simply wondering if startup life is right for you, I'll help you think strategically and avoid common mistakes.
Vaishnavi can help with:
Business Strategy Development
Go-to-Market Strategy
Ideation
Market Research
Venture Capital Strategy
Why do I coach?
I coach because I know how much the right guidance can change someone's trajectory. When I started in architecture, I didn't know where my education could take me. From studying at Harvard and the University of Michigan to transitioning into technology, building companies, and raising venture capital, I've had to figure out many things along the way. I've made mistakes, taken risks, and learned lessons I wish someone had shared with me earlier. What I've realized is that talent and ambition aren't always enough. Sometimes, what you need is someone who has walked a similar path, can challenge your thinking, help you see opportunities you hadn't considered, and show you how to move forward. That's why I coach. Whether you're trying to get into your dream university, build your first company, or figure out your next career move, I want to help you make informed decisions, avoid unnecessary mistakes, and pursue opportunities you might not have thought possible. ➜ I believe your background should be a starting point, not a limitation on what you can become.
Work Experience
CEO and Co-Founder
Zenoya
March 2025 - Present
The platform Architecture and Design firms run on. Optimize your studio for profitability and success. www.zenoya.ai Architecture, Design and +3 skills
Founder
Vaishnavi More and Co.
January 2023 - Present
Founded to help ambitious architects, designers, and founders build careers, companies, and ideas that create lasting impact. Vaishnavi More & Co. is where architecture meets entrepreneurship—bringing together practical insights from building venture-backed companies, raising capital, and creating technology for the built environment. Through advisory, speaking, workshops, and founder programs, I help individuals and teams think bigger, execute faster, and build with confidence. Areas of Focus - Founder & Startup Advisory - Business & Growth Strategy - Product & Go-to-Market - Studio Operations & Innovation - Speaking & Workshops - Architecture, AI & Entrepreneurship Explore → https://vaishnavimore.com
CEO and Co-Founder
ArchSlate Inc
January 2022 - December 2023
Hiring Manager
Archslate is an AI-powered talent marketplace built for the Architecture and design industry. Over 100,000 users. ~$1 Million raised in funding.
VP, Head of Venture & Incubation
Harvard University
August 2020 - March 2021
Co-Founder and President (Harvard Chapter)
American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS)
October 2018 - May 2020
Admissions Committee
Education
Harvard Graduate School of Design
Masters in Design Studies with Technology concentration, Architecture, Architecture, Design and Technology
2018 - 2020
Master in Design Studies (MDes) in Technology at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, where I explored the intersection of architecture, emerging technologies, AI, computation, and entrepreneurship. My work focused on how technology can reshape the built environment, design practice, and the future of cities through interdisciplinary collaboration with designers, engineers, technologists, and entrepreneurs.
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
M.Arch II, Architecture
2016 - 2018
My time at the University of Michigan was transformative both academically and personally. I was selected as a featured student during the university's Bicentennial celebrations, maintained strong academic performance throughout the program, and explored emerging technologies through robotics, computational design, and digital fabrication. The interdisciplinary environment challenged me to think beyond traditional architecture, collaborate across fields, and develop a research-driven approach to design. My experience at Michigan laid the foundation for my later work at Harvard GSD and ultimately shaped my path into technology and entrepreneurship.
Vaishnavi also coaches for Master’s Programs and Architecture. View all.