16-Year-Old Prodigy

Pranjali Awasthi, a 16-year-old Indian prodigy, has made waves in the tech industry with her AI startup, Delv.AI. Founded in January 2022, the company has already secured impressive funding of around Rs 3.7 crore. Awasthi’s journey into tech began early, inspired by her engineer father’s advocacy for computer science education. She started coding at the tender age of seven and later interned in machine learning at just 13.

The idea for Delv.AI emerged during her internship at Florida International University research labs, where she delved into machine learning projects. The COVID-19 pandemic and the release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT-3 beta further fueled her vision to streamline research data extraction using AI, thus eliminating data silos.

Joining an AI startup accelerator in Miami, Pranjali made the bold decision to temporarily leave high school to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams. Delv.AI’s beta launch on Product Hunt was a resounding success, resulting in significant funding. The company raised $450,000 (approximately Rs 3.7 crore) and currently boasts an estimated valuation of $12 million.

Despite her Indian parents’ emphasis on education, Pranjali has chosen to postpone college, prioritizing her responsibilities at Delv.AI. She envisions returning to higher education in the future to acquire business skills to further her entrepreneurial journey. Leading a dynamic team of up to 10 employees, Pranjali oversees various aspects of Delv.AI, from coding to operations and customer service.

Re-reported from the article originally published in The India Today