In an impressive foray into the tech world, 16-year-old Indian prodigy Pranjali Awasthi has taken the industry by storm with her AI startup, Delv.AI. During the Miami Tech Week event, Awasthi unveiled her brainchild, revealing that she founded the company in January 2022 and successfully secured approximately $450,000 (Rs 3.7 crore) in funding. What’s remarkable is that Delv.AI’s LinkedIn profile already lists a dedicated team of 10 professionals. During the event, Awasthi credited her father as the primary source of inspiration for her entrepreneurial journey.
A Tech Enthusiast from a Young Age
Awasthi’s fascination with technology ignited early in her life, driven by her father’s passion for promoting computer science education in schools. This encouragement led her to embark on her coding journey at the age of seven, laying the foundation for her extraordinary path. Her family’s move to Florida when she was 11 opened up new opportunities, including access to computer science classes and competitive math programs. However, it was her internship at Florida International University’s research labs at the age of 13 that set the stage for her entrepreneurial adventure.
From Internship to Innovation
During her internship, Awasthi immersed herself in machine learning projects while attending virtual high school due to the pandemic. It was during this period that OpenAI released ChatGPT-3 beta, sparking the idea of using AI to streamline research data extraction and summarization. Delv.AI was born during this time, with Awasthi’s mission to leverage machine learning to improve data extraction processes and break down data silos.
Joining the AI Startup Accelerator
A significant milestone in her journey occurred when she joined an AI startup accelerator in Miami, led by Lucy Guo and Dave Fontenot of Backend Capital. Awasthi’s acceptance into the program demonstrated her unwavering commitment to chasing her dreams, even if it meant temporarily putting her high school education on hold. She revealed that the beta launch of Delv.AI on Product Hunt achieved exceptional success. For the uninitiated, Product Hunt is a platform that facilitates the sharing of software for free.
Delv.AI’s Mission: Empowering Researchers
Awasthi explains that Delv.AI’s primary objective is to assist researchers in efficiently accessing specific information within the ever-expanding realm of online content. The accelerator program played a pivotal role in helping Awasthi secure investments from On Deck and Village Global. In total, Delv.AI raised $450,000 (approximately Rs 3.7 crore) in funding and currently boasts an estimated valuation of $12 million (Rs 100 crore).
Balancing Education and Entrepreneurship
While education remains a fundamental value in the eyes of Awasthi’s Indian parents, she has chosen to defer her college plans for the time being, prioritising her responsibilities and unwavering passion for her company. Awasthi envisions returning to higher education in the future to acquire business skills that will benefit her entrepreneurial journey. At the helm of a small yet dynamic team, Awasthi oversees various facets of Delv.AI, from coding to operations and customer service.
In the world of technology and entrepreneurship, Pranjali Awasthi’s story serves as an inspiring testament to the power of passion, dedication, and innovation, regardless of age or background. Her AI startup, Delv.AI, has already begun making waves and is poised to revolutionise the way researchers access and utilise vast amounts of online information.
