Harshit Desai comes with a rich industry experience of 5+ years in Marketing & Operations. He is a Graduate Engineer from Pune University and has done his PGDBM in Marketing. He has worked on Projects of diverse nature and has a very good understanding of business processes. In his earlier stint he was heading the Pan-India Operations for Content Sourcing for Database Creation of all Small & Medium Businesses in India. During this project he has gained an excellent know-how of functions like Marketing, Distribution, GIS, IT Applications and Business Research.
Asso. Prof. Harshit Desai is an academic professional, innovation strategist, and design management expert with over 20 years of experience across industry and academia. Over the last 16 years at MIT Institute of Design, he has played an active role in shaping academic programs, strengthening industry engagement, and building innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives aligned with the vision of MIT ADT University.
His work lies at the intersection of design, business, innovation, and entrepreneurship, with a strong focus on creating industry-relevant and future-oriented learning experiences. He has contributed significantly to the growth of MIT ID through academic leadership, ecosystem building, institutional development, and strategic collaborations with industry, startups, innovation networks, and international institutions.
Prof. Desai currently leads the Master’s in Design Management and MBA in Innovation & Entrepreneurship programs at MIT ID. Under his leadership, these programs focus on interdisciplinary learning, design-led innovation, entrepreneurship, strategic thinking, and real-world problem solving. He has been instrumental in developing strong industry integration through live projects, internships, placements, workshops, and collaborative initiatives with organizations across sectors.
As Head of Industry Relations, he has established and nurtured long-term partnerships with corporates, startups, and social enterprises to create meaningful opportunities for students and faculty. His efforts have contributed to strengthening MIT ID’s industry connect and improving student exposure to emerging domains and professional practices.
His work is focused on innovation-driven education, executive learning, and industry engagement. He has worked on innovation programs, mentorship initiatives, custom training programs, and ecosystem partnerships that bring together academia, industry, and entrepreneurship.
At the university level, he actively contributes to MIT ADT University’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. He serves as Vice President of the Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC), mentors innovation and startup-related activities at CRIEYA, and has recently been appointed as Professor In-charge for the Agriculture Center of Excellence under the CRIEYA Research Park Foundation (CRPF). In this role, he supports the development of interdisciplinary innovation initiatives connecting design, agriculture, technology, entrepreneurship, and sustainability.
He is also actively involved in strengthening MIT ADT University’s global engagement initiatives. In recognition of his contribution towards building collaborations with international institutions and conceptualizing immersion programs in innovation and entrepreneurship.
He is also involved in institutional governance and quality initiatives as the NAAC Criteria 6 coordinator and supports alumni engagement as Faculty Coordinator for the MIT ADT Alumni Association.
His research interests include design management, innovation ecosystems, entrepreneurship, design education, and the relationship between design and business. He is currently pursuing doctoral research focused on the role of design support systems in innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems. His research papers have been presented and published at leading international conferences and journals including Cumulus, ISPIM, European Academy of Design, DesignEd Asia, and IASDR- Taiwan to name a few.
He is known for his ability to connect academia with industry and for creating platforms that encourage students to think beyond conventional career paths. His work continues to focus on enabling young designers, innovators, and entrepreneurs to build meaningful solutions with social, cultural, and business impact.
Positions Held
- HoD – Master’s in Design Management
- HoD – MBA in Innovation & Entrepreneurship
- Head – Industry Relations (Training, Placements & Industry Projects)
- Professor In-charge – Agriculture Center of Excellence, CRPF
- Vice President – MIT ADT Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC)
- Mentor & Activity Coordinator – CRIEYA
- Institute Level Criteria Head – NAAC (Criteria 6) ( 1st Cycle-2005)
- Faculty Coordinator – MIT ADT Alumni Association (MAA)