When I was 22, I immigrated to the U.S. — the first in my family to do so. I just had this feeling that there was something bigger out there for me, and I was ready for an adventure. Los Angeles became my new home, and I enrolled at USC to continue studying biomedical engineering. Honestly, I loved every part of that journey, even the tough times. To make ends meet, I worked as a fruit cutter in the school cafeteria, and on my days off, I’d save up just enough to explore different corners of L.A. between homework sessions. Looking back, those early days really shaped me. They remind me where I started and help me stay humble and grateful for everything that’s come my way since.

Building a Career in Tech

Fast forward a few years, and after more schooling, I had achieved more than I could dream of; I received my doctorate degree in electrical engineering. I leveraged my deep technical background to develop AI-powered algorithms for wearable devices, empowering users to monitor key biometrics such as heart rate, sweat loss, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels. Working in the health tech space was especially rewarding, as it allowed me to create products that help people live longer, healthier lives.

As I gained more experience in the field, I felt a familiar sense of purpose — just as I had when I left India, I sensed something calling my name once again. This time, it was to make a pivot from a highly technical role to one that would allow me the opportunity to envision what products to build and create go-to-market strategies for launching products in the health tech space. I was super strong in the technical space, but I needed to get better on the business side, so I enrolled at Fuqua.

To make the most of this opportunity, I made the move into a strategy role at the company that I was working for at that time. It helped me gain experiential knowledge as I took courses at Fuqua over the weekend. I would implement some of the tactics I learnt over the weekend at the office the following week. This was great because it allowed me to test these ideas and iterate on them to meet the needs of my startup environment. I learned as much from my classmates as I did from the coursework, and I was able to immediately apply new concepts at work.

A Familiar Purpose

After graduating from Fuqua, I took some time to reflect and figure out how to apply what I’d learned to solving real, meaningful problems. During that time, I met Chastity and Patrick Sullivan over a game of tennis. Chastity had spent years developing a formula rooted in natural ingredients, inspired by her own experience with hair loss during perimenopause. She’d been sharing the product with friends and family, and they kept coming back for more because it worked.

This product’s focus on all-natural ingredients really resonated with me. Growing up in India, I developed a deep appreciation for the healing power of nature, especially since these remedies don’t come with the side effects linked to pharmaceutical options. I have fond memories of sitting with my grandmother every evening while she lovingly massaged coconut oil into my hair. It was a cherished ritual I never missed, and it beautifully illustrates just how much natural remedies are a part of our culture.

Recognizing the opportunity to help women going through the same journey as Chastity, we got to work right away, and Regener8 was born. I joined as a founder and Chief Operating Officer, and soon after, I stepped into the Chief Executive Officer role.

Leading a Startup

We started out super scrappy — and honestly, we still are. In my opinion, that mindset is key to launching a startup. Even though we’re relatively new, our scrappiness has helped us make significant progress right from the start. Within just a month of forming the company, we already had a polished Shopify website, strong design elements, and a motivated team eager to bring our product to market. Staying scrappy has truly been our secret to moving fast and making things happen.

My experience at Fuqua gave me the confidence to embark on this entrepreneurial journey and allowed me to go beyond traditional roles, setting up the infrastructure that we needed to get things off the ground and bring the product to market. We began with a soft launch in November 2024 and officially debuted in February 2025.

Today, I’m excited to share that we’ve developed a solid, science-backed go-to-market strategy. Our approach addresses the root causes of women’s hair loss, recognizing that it’s fundamentally different from men’s and requires solutions tailored specifically to women’s biology. We want to cut through the misinformation and build a community where women can learn from each other.

As I reflect on Regener8’s short history and bright future, I see it as a fusion of my personal history, technical training, and entrepreneurial aspirations. From those early days of cutting fruit to building wearable health tech, pursuing an MBA at Fuqua, and now leading a startup rooted in natural healing, every step has led me here. As we grow our impact and expand into health tech, I carry with me the lessons of my past and the passion that started it all.