Hello!

A little bit about why I founded this academy!

Fast-forward to today: AI is one of the fastest-growing fields globally, expected to create over 97 million new jobs by 2025 (World Economic Forum). Yet, many high school students still lack meaningful exposure to this world-changing field and the interdisciplinary careers it is unlocking.

Many years ago, I stood at a crossroad. Passionate about both healthcare and technology, I was one of the few students who chose data science and biomedical engineering as electives in my final year of undergraduate studies. I completely fell in love with both these fields and decided that I wanted to build a career at the intersection of AI and biomedical innovation. But there was no roadmap. No mentor. No program to guide me. My then professors discouraged me from considering biomedical engineering as a field, as it was perceived to result in a career that is confined to hospital labs, fixing ECG machines, and such. But I persevered as my passion prevailed over any naysayer guidance. I decided to pursue a Master’s in Biomedical Engineering at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, which led me to continue obtaining a PhD focused on AI-enabled healthtech innovation.

After receiving numerous messages from high school students seeking mentorship in AI and innovation, I began offering personalized guidance to them. Some of these students went on to gain admission to top universities across the U.S., with one even choosing Georgia Tech’s Computer Science program and another entering medical school with a research-backed AI project on their resume, among other notable achievements. They requested me to formally begin an AI Innovation program so others can benefit the way they did.

After much thought, I did some market research. I surveyed high school students directly. The responses were clear and consistent:

“I wish my high school exposed me to more AI and technology-based career paths.”

“I wish I had learned how to find my own solutions to medical problems through research.”

“I wish I was taught the skills to build a startup or lead a company.”

“I had learned more about the future of AI, which I only learned about halfway through freshman year of college.”

I understood that the gap still exists. And I wanted to help close it. So I created the first program – the FutureRx program – a live, mentor-led, project-based learning program designed to bring real-world AI and healthtech innovation into the hands of curious, driven high school students. I launched it in the summer of 2025, and it was a great success. My goal is to empower students to think critically, innovate boldly, and discover how AI can be applied across medicine, sustainability, policy, and beyond. Rather than teaching them to just use AI tools, my drive is to help them create ethical applications of AI that address the most significant challenges facing humanity.

Following feedback from the first cohort, I have now developed and launched two more programs:

1. InnovateX Program, a project-based AI innovation program.
2. ScholarX, a 1:1 research and publication mentorship program designed for high school students interested in conducting original research across disciplines. 

A promise to parents: our programs will always be intentionally priced to remain accessible, as I believe that top-tier mentorship and real-world innovation experience should not be limited to only the most privileged.

If you have read so far, thank you! IMPACT Labs Academy is my way of paying forward years of lived experience to help the next generation of gamechangers to realize their potential and build the future.

See you in class!
Vinitha

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