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They say “age is just a number,” and Pranjali Awasthi is the perfect example of that saying. At just 16 years old, this Indian-born US teenager has founded a tech company worth nearly Rs 100 crore. While most teens are still figuring out their interests, Pranjali has already made her mark in the startup world. Her success story is inspiring young minds globally and proving that innovation has no age limit.
Pranjali’s journey began early. At the age of 7, she started learning programming languages under the guidance of her father, a computer engineer. Her passion for technology only grew stronger as she advanced. When she was 11, her family moved from India to the United States, which gave her exposure to advanced educational opportunities. In Florida, she immersed herself in computer science and competitive math courses, which laid a solid foundation for her future in tech.
Today, Pranjali Awasthi is the founder and CEO of Delv.AI, an artificial intelligence startup that helps researchers extract and summarize data from academic content. The company, launched in 2022, is currently valued at around Rs 100 crore (approximately 12 million dollars). Despite her young age, Pranjali has already made headlines in the tech world for her groundbreaking work and entrepreneurial spirit.
At just 13, Pranjali began interning at the machine learning lab of Florida International University. There, she contributed to real-world projects, assisting in information gathering, research, and literature reviews. Her internship exposed her to the practical applications of AI and machine learning. It was during this time that OpenAI released the beta version of ChatGPT-3, and Pranjali saw an opportunity. She realized how generative AI could simplify and accelerate research tasks—a realization that would shape her startup idea.
In January 2022, Pranjali officially launched Delv.AI. The core idea behind the company was simple but powerful: use artificial intelligence to make research easier by extracting and summarizing content from dense academic papers and online publications. The product helps researchers save time and increase productivity, making it highly valuable in both academia and industry.
Pranjali’s participation in an AI startup accelerator in Miami proved to be a game-changer. Through this program, she got the opportunity to pitch her idea to investors and mentors in the tech ecosystem. With her clarity, passion, and product vision, she secured initial funding of 450,000 dollars (around Rs 3.7 crore) from well-known investment firms like On Deck and Village Global, the latter being backed by tech giants such as Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg.
Currently, Delv.AI operates with a compact team of 10 people. Despite being a teenager, Pranjali handles multiple roles within the company. From coding and product development to customer service and operations, she is involved in every aspect of her startup. Her ability to juggle so many responsibilities while maintaining clarity of vision is what sets her apart from others her age.
Although her company’s rapid success has temporarily paused her formal education, Pranjali has not abandoned her academic dreams. She has expressed her intention to resume her studies soon. For now, she’s focused on growing Delv.AI and scaling its impact. Her story stands as a powerful reminder that passion, when combined with persistence and purpose, can lead to extraordinary achievements—no matter how young you are.
(Images credit: @raidingAI/X, @shivani_bose4/X, @meetshah123/x)
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