During Miami Tech Week, the 16-year-old Indian prodigy, Pranjali Awasthi, made a remarkable entry into the tech world with her AI startup, Delv.AI. She revealed that she founded the company in January 2022 and successfully secured approximately $450,000 (Rs 3.7 crore) in funding. Impressively, Delv.AI already boasts a team of 10 dedicated professionals on its LinkedIn profile. Awasthi credited her father as the primary source of inspiration for her entrepreneurial journey.
Awasthi's fascination with technology began at a young age, nurtured by her engineer father's commitment to promoting computer science education in schools. This encouragement led her to start coding at just seven years old, setting the stage for her extraordinary journey. At the age of 11, when her family relocated to Florida, new opportunities emerged, including access to computer science classes and competitive math programs. However, it was her internship at the research labs of Florida International University at the age of 13 that paved the way for her entrepreneurial adventure.
During this internship, Awasthi immersed herself in machine learning projects while attending virtual high school due to the ongoing pandemic. It was during this period that OpenAI released the ChatGPT-3 beta, sparking the idea of using AI to streamline research data extraction and summarization. Delv.AI was born from this idea, with Awasthi's mission being to harness machine learning to enhance data extraction processes and break down data silos.
A pivotal moment in her journey materialized when she joined an AI startup accelerator in Miami, led by Lucy Guo and Dave Fontenot from Backend Capital. Awasthi's acceptance into the program showcased her resolute dedication to chasing her dreams, even if it meant temporarily pausing her high school education. She revealed that the beta launch of Delv.AI on Product Hunt received exceptional acclaim. For those unfamiliar, Product Hunt is a platform that facilitates the sharing of software at no cost.
Awasthi elaborated that Delv.AI's primary mission is to assist researchers in efficiently accessing specific information within the constantly 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).
While her Indian parents hold education in high regard, Awasthi has made the decision to postpone her college plans for now, prioritizing her responsibilities and unwavering passion for her company. She envisions returning to higher education in the future to acquire business skills that will enhance her entrepreneurial journey. Leading a compact yet dynamic team, Awasthi oversees various aspects of Delv.AI, including coding, operations, and customer service.
