Arrenius Karunakaran
Not a typo. Just a story.
How I found my h
I was named after the Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius (thanks, Dad!). Then, because of cultural beliefs, the ‘h’ in my name was dropped. It became a recurring moment in introductions—explaining the typo that wasn’t.
Eventually, I realized that this story wasn’t just about a letter.
It was about the kinds of things I pay attention to—meaning behind actions, gaps in understanding, and decisions that feel harder than they should.
The missing h started a habit of asking questions to surface the meaning behind what isn't obvious and overtime, influenced my approach to design and life.
Bio
Arrenius Karunakaran (he/him) is a designer, strategist, and educator who works at the intersection of human-centered design, systems thinking, and learning. He currently serves as the Learning Experience Manager at the Institute of Design at Illinois Tech, where he leads executive education programs and strategic initiatives aimed at helping organizations make sense of complexity and act with clarity.
Arrenius holds a Master of Design and an MBA from Illinois Tech, and a Bachelor of Design from IIT Guwahati. His professional background spans physical product design, branding, entrepreneurship, and learning experience design. Over the past decade, he has contributed to diverse sectors—including public health, education, nonprofit, and enterprise—working across the U.S. and India. His career is rooted in a belief that small shifts in how we see, listen, and decide can lead to meaningful systems change.
His recent work includes the development of the Value Building Framework, a diagnostic tool that measures design capability across organizations, and the facilitation of workshops for audiences ranging from high school students to mid-career professionals.
Experience
Institute of Design at Illinois Tech, Chicago, US
Learning Experience Manager | Feb 2024 — present
I design and deliver learning engagements with domestic and international partners. Key achievements include creating a survey-based tool to assess design-driven practices, prototyping a course selection tool, and developing a faculty toolkit for effective teaching. I also designed a service blueprint that saved 20 hours per project and enhanced brand perception through visual identity. My role involves market research, team management, partner relations, financial reporting, and innovating work-integrated learning concepts, ensuring seamless operations and impactful learning experiences.
Program Manager | May 2022 — Dec 2023
I aligned client needs with faculty expertise, facilitated workshops, and ensured smooth event execution. I supported faculty in delivering 100+ hours of content to 850+ executives across various formats, covering topics like Design Thinking, Behavioral Design, and Prototyping Strategy.
Lockeat, Chicago, US
Co-founder & Chief Marketing Officer | Dec 2021 — Dec 2023
I developed a hybrid platform using human-centered design to help family-owned restaurants promote and sell food in communal spaces. A successful pilot with 500+ responses hit 100% sales goals, won the 2022 Kaplan Pitch Tank Audience Choice Award, and boosted investment. I led a team to enhance product features, achieving high net-promoter scores.
College of Commerce, Coimbatore, India
Business Manager & Head of Design | March 2020 — July 2021
I developed visual identities and brand guidelines, directed ad campaigns across digital, offline, and hybrid channels, and exceeded conversion targets by 175%. I led a partnership to design an AI-powered quizzing platform for remote learning, meeting revenue goals. Additionally, I represented the organization at 20+ public events, including conferences and pitch talks.
Fablabz at SRCAS, Coimbatore, India
Industrial Design Specialist | April 2020 — June 2020
I design and deliver learning engagements with domestic and international partners. Key achievements include creating a survey-based tool to assess design-driven practices, prototyping a course selection tool, and developing a faculty toolkit for effective teaching. I also designed a service blueprint that saved 20 hours per project and enhanced brand perception through visual identity. My role involves market research, team management, partner relations, financial reporting, and innovating work-integrated learning concepts, ensuring seamless operations and impactful learning experiences.
53rd Inter IIT Sports Meet, Guwahati, India
Head of Design | April 2018 — Dec 2018
I led a team of 13 undergraduate and graduate design students to create the visual identity and branding for the 53rd Inter IIT Sports Meet in India. My role involved conceptualizing, iterating, and executing design assets, while managing team workflows, documentation, and communication across teams and vendors. This event marked the first nationwide sports meet to celebrate Indian female athletes, setting a new standard in design-driven branding.
Talks & workshops
Lecturer: “Design Thinking for Modern MBAs”
Mohan Babu University, Tirupati, India | 23 January 2025
Workshop facilitator: “Financial Modeling 101 for Entrepreneurs”
Hindusthan Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, India | 22 August 2024
Workshop facilitator: “Product Design 101”
Arts and Public Life – Design Apprenticeship Program at UChicago, Chicago, United States | 16 November 2023
Lecturer: “Sustainable Startup Ecosystems”
Hindusthan College of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore, India | 10 May 2023
Recognized work
2021: Lockeat LLC, Winner of Audience Choice Awards at Kaplan Pitch Tank.
2020: Recognized in multiple Indian national news and media for designing low-cost PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic.
2019: ShellD, Featured Top 10 of the Year by thingiverse.com for 3D printed design.
2014: Wireless Electricity Transmission, placed 4th in the National Science Expo in India among 11000 projects.
Education
Master of Design
Institute of Design at Illinois Tech, United States
Master of Business Administration
Stuart School of Business at Illinois Tech, United States
Bachelor of Design
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, India
Contact