Taher Chandiwala

About Me

I'm Taher Chandiwala from India, currently a Junior studying Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence and Strategic Finance at Minerva University in San Francisco. At one of the world's most selective universities (1.5% acceptance rate), I'm passionate about using technology and strategic finance to create positive global impact through consulting and innovation.

Through Minerva's unique rotational program, I've had the incredible opportunity to live, work, and study across multiple continents, developing expertise in business consulting and financial strategy. So far, I've gained invaluable experiences in the USA, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and India, each location teaching me new perspectives on innovation, culture, and strategic problem-solving.

Looking ahead, I'm excited to spend my next two years exploring and learning in Buenos Aires (Argentina), Tokyo (Japan), Berlin (Germany), and San Francisco (USA). This global education approach has shaped my worldview and enhanced my ability to provide strategic consulting across diverse cultural and professional environments.

Professional Experience

Nippon Foundation

Satellite and Sustainability Research Lab Intern

Tokyo, Japan (Hybrid) | Sept 2024 – Aug 2025

Led geospatial analysis using NASA satellites to identify rice-growing regions in Vietnam suitable for water-saving irrigation, driving $19–38M/year in savings and unlocking $1.5–2M in carbon credits.
Integrated advanced climate risk models (CMIP6), reducing investment risk in agri-infrastructure by 66%, cutting water usage by up to 30%, and lowering methane emissions by 38% in rice production.
Used multi-year satellite data to identify high-potential Ume plum acreage, advising Tanabe City government, Japan, on targeted replanting strategies to boost output in the region's $120M plum market.

Samsung Heavy Industries

Technical Consultant Intern

Seoul, South Korea | Jan 2025 – Apr 2025

Developed an AI tool using Meta's LLaMA 7B and LangChain to automate ITT (Invitation to Tender, formal procurement contract) reviews for Samsung in a $70,000+ project.
Matched contract clauses against a 205-point legal checklist with 90% accuracy, working closely with Samsung's lawyers to reduce oversight risks that previously led to multi-million-dollar penalties.
Integrated keyword clustering and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) to identify critical risk clauses within 1 hour, reducing manual legal review time by 60% and accelerating bidding decisions.

LDC Hotel

Business Consultant Intern

Taipei, Taiwan | Sept 2024 –Dec 2024

Managed a diverse team of four to design and execute a sustainability initiative at Le Palais de Chine Hotel (3-Michelin-star restaurant), aiming for Taiwan's first Michelin Green Star certification.
Developed a Black Soldier Fly (BSF) waste-to-protein system that diverted 177 tons of food waste annually, reduced daily waste by 50 kg, and lowered CO₂ emissions by 98%.
Engaged with Michelin-star chefs and hotel management to align priorities and led a stakeholder presentation pitching a circular economy model, reducing landfill use by 90% and waste costs by 64%.

DM Clinical Research

Business Development Intern

Houston, USA | Jun 2024 –Aug 2024

Streamlined operations across 1,700+ clinical trials by organizing research activity data from 25+ investigators into Trello and Google Sheets, enhancing cross-team visibility and decision speed.
Conducted background research for five pre-study visits (PSVs), aligning trial goals with regulatory and partner needs and communicating value to secure a 100% approval rate.
Built a ranked pipeline of top 15 clinical trials by participant activity and therapeutic area, enabling leadership to prioritize high-impact studies for business development.

Personal Interests

Conquering Mt. Fuji

Reached the summit of Japan's iconic Mt. Fuji (3,776m) during my time in Tokyo. This challenging climb taught me perseverance and rewarded me with breathtaking sunrise views from the top of Japan.

Martial Arts Training

Passionate practitioner of mixed martial arts and Taekwondo. Active member of Minerva's Taekwondo Club. Training in various disciplines has taught me discipline, respect, and mental fortitude.

¡Hala Madrid!

Lifelong Real Madrid supporter who has had the opportunity to play football in many countries during my global rotations. Through this beautiful game, I've made amazing friends across cultures and continents - from pickup games in Taipei to matches in Seoul. Football truly brings people together regardless of language or background.