Nihaal Adarsh - I Founded Watt Technovations That Works Towards Building Economical and Advanced Solutions for the People (Student Entrepreneur From India)

I would call myself an innovator- since my school days, I have closely worked with science and developed projects that improve the lives of people. One of them being DRISHTIKON- An automatic walking guiding stick for blind grown-ups and a helper sensor embedded smart shoe for the blind children, that helped them to judge the environment around them.

1. Tell us about your upbringing, background, and journey?

My family consists of my parents and my sister. Since childhood, I have been brought up in an environment of science and technology, where innovation and education are given utmost importance. My father is an IIT Bombay Alumni and a professor, and looking up to him I have developed a passion for physics and a drive to create new innovations with my skill set. 

I would call myself an innovator- since my school days, I have closely worked with science and developed projects that improve the lives of people. One of them being DRISHTIKON- An automatic walking guiding stick for blind grown-ups and a helper sensor embedded smart shoe for the blind children, that helped them to judge the environment around them.

After high school, I wanted to join the best engineering college in the country, to learn more about physics and technology. As I landed in the K.J Somaiya College of Engineering, Vidyavihar, I explored all the new opportunities that helped me to grow in my areas of interest. I am a part of the Research Innovation and incubation Design labs (RIIDL) that have helped me throughout the COVTECH project. Until now I have explored my interests in electronics and technology and would continue to do so and improve myself in my knowledge and skills.

2. Why did you choose to work for the healthcare field and narrow down on what you want to do?

During COVID, the healthcare industry suffered the most. While in lockdown I wanted to do something for the healthcare workers. Moreover, as my mother is a doctor, I closely witnessed the medical community and the problems faced by them. The opportunity to create the project came through a design challenge arranged by RIIDL in my college. 

This was the best chance to do something for the people suffering during the COVID pandemic. My mother explained how the doctors faced this grave problem of sweat, fungal infections, and diseases due to wearing the PPE suit for long hours. This got me started on the project to develop something for these frontline workers, and hence I chose to dedicate my efforts to the Healthcare industry.

I founded the company Watt Technovations that is working towards building economical and advanced solutions for the people. As part of the first device is the COVTECH VENTILATION SYSTEM. In the future, I want to build Watt Technovations and create a positive impact in the lives of people by using my skills and hard work. I also aspire to pursue a Masters of Science degree and a Minor in Business and contribute to the scientific development around us.

3. How do you keep up with changing technology and continue learning?

As a young undergraduate student, it is not tough to keep up with changing technology. I believe that staying updated about the world around us and enlightening myself with the knowledge that the news channels and more importantly various great books provide us, is the key to keep up with changing technology.

Startups always have to keep themselves updated with the changes happening in the market. I make sure that I am up to date with the new technologies in the world through various social media platforms and newspapers.

4. How do you think digital health would grow over the next 5 years?

Digital Health is one sector where more and more development is taking place these days. The sector I believe had not been taken care of enough, but the pandemic has changed everything! People have shifted focus to the healthcare sector and will continue to invest in major developments in digital health in the upcoming years.

5. Please tell us more about the Ventilation System for PPE Kits that you created. 

The main purpose of the COVTECH VENTILATION SYSTEM is to provide an effective yet protective measure of ventilation for an individual that wears a PPE suit.

The device is equipped with appropriate electronic components which enable it to suck in air from the surrounding outside and pump it inside the suit. Keeping user safety in mind, the device is cleverly designed to filter the air before pumping it inside. Consequently, the hot & humid air inside the suit is forcefully pushed out. Due to this, a continuous flow of fresh, filtered, and ambient air is maintained inside the PPE suit.

6. How did you manage your work and college life balance?

As a Student Entrepreneur, college life balance along with work is tough, but I believe that discipline makes it possible. I make sure to have a calculated schedule every day maintaining the important work and completing it timely depending on priority. I make sure that I have the timetable set for the next day, and make sure that time is used very wisely while planning the day.

7. Which is your favorite book and why?

The hard thing about Hard Things by Ben Horowitz. The book explains how to build a business in the most difficult situations. I feel in today's situation this is of utmost importance because startups have built their own ecosystem in today’s times, and the one who knows how to survive the competition, to make the right decision at the right time and to act at the right time, will prosper in their startup/business idea.

PPE Kit Video can be found here 

Nihaal Singh Adarsh 

Student Entrepreneur | Founder/CEO: Watt Technovations | Second-year student from K.J. Somaiya College of Engineering, Mumbai

Interviewed By: Nishad Kinhikar