Building Blitz

Saivya Chauhan (Class of 2015) remembers watching Apple presentations in awe of what was happening on stage — not by the latest device that was being introduced, but by the prospect of one day doing the very same thing as CEO of his own company.

“I remember being younger and wanting to be a CEO. I didn’t even know what it was — I would watch Apple presentations and say, ‘I want to be like that guy,’ not really knowing what it meant,” he explains with a hint of amusement.

And in some ways, that came true. At just 20 years old, as an ambitious mechanical engineering major at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Saivya launched Blitz Electric Mobility with the goal of returning to Indonesia and making an impact. He would soon carve out a path for himself in the logistics and electric vehicle space, addressing inefficiencies in delivery services and unfair earning structures for their gig workers. 

Today, his vision is taking off, with Blitz Electric Mobility not only finding its footing but growing rapidly across 30 cities. It’s no wonder, then, that his efforts caught the attention of Forbes Asia magazine, which recognized him with a highly coveted spot in its 30 Under 30 list for 2025.

When asked about these accomplishments, Saivya was quick to praise his dedicated team.

“It’s been a very interesting journey to get this far, and it's definitely a team effort,” he says. “It's not just me — we have a full team that has been working day and night on this project. I think it’s actually a reflection of their efforts, too, which I want to also make very clear because without them, none of this would be happening.”

The beginnings of Blitz’s success came during the COVID pandemic, when interviews with motorcycle delivery drivers revealed a range of issues Saivya was confident the company would be able to address. 

“That became the catalyst for driving the discussion forward,” he explains. “There was a gap in the market for faster deliveries, [...] a gap for when it comes to how these drivers are earning.”

And so, Blitz created a dedicated delivery platform that would partner with large brands and ensure the heart of their collaborative services — delivery drivers — are fairly treated and “earning really well”.

Today, Blitz works with major e-commerce, grocery, healthcare, and cold storage companies, providing white-labeled delivery under their branding. The model means drivers have the chance to earn more and access Blitz’s electric vehicle financing. 

“We need to be able to give these guys a vehicle that is cheaper to maintain and cheaper to fuel. That’s what the EVs allow them to do.”

Saivya looked to high-profile players in a range of industries — some massive successes, others infamous failures — for essential dos and don’ts. But perhaps his most valued sources of inspiration were friends, fellow entrepreneurs, and family. His father, in particular, has been “a silent co-founder this entire time” whose guidance has shaped many of his decisions.

Looking back, Saivya credits much of his resilience to JIS, where the rigorous International Baccalaureate (IB) program thoroughly prepared him for the demands of university. 

“From a lens of time management and bandwidth management, [the IB] sort of drove me here,” he says. “The high level of classes, the high level of education, the extracurriculars — you have to do more than book learning. I think that is instrumental in really helping you prepare for the realities of life.”

Fond memories include school trips “as a good way to get out of the classroom and actually see what the world looks like,” and he still keeps in touch with many classmates, even attending the wedding of a friend he first met in Grade 6.

For students dreaming of making an impact through innovation, his advice is simple: “Trust yourself to take risks [...] Even if everything’s not perfect right now, that first step of saying, ‘I’m going to do this,’ is the hardest step. Just do it; trust yourself that you’ll be able to do it. Maybe you fall down, but then you learn to get back up, because you know what falling is like.”