We often hear about young kids being good at video games or sports, but 13-year-old Jaiwardhan Tyagi is busy changing the world of medicine. The schoolboy recently appeared on the business reality show Shark Tank India to pitch his AI-enabled startup, Neurapexai. From the moment he stepped into the tank, the Sharks including Ritesh Agarwal, Namita Thapar, and Aman Gupta were stunned by his confidence and technical knowledge.
Ritesh Agarwal, the founder of OYO, was particularly moved by the boy’s drive. While the panel didn’t sign a formal deal during the episode, Ritesh later took to Instagram to reveal that he has backed Jaiwardhan through his founder fellowship. Ritesh wrote, “At an age when most of us were still figuring out what we liked, he was figuring out what he wanted to change in the world.” He has promised the young founder mentorship, access, and the belief he needs to grow, proving that age is no barrier to big ideas.
What is Neurapexai?
Jaiwardhan’s company is an assistive medtech platform. It uses Artificial Intelligence to look at MRI scans, lab reports, and medical history to create clear reports that doctors and patients can actually understand. Right now, the tool is free for anyone to use. To take his business to the next level, Jaiwardhan asked for Rs 60 lakh in exchange for 5 per cent equity, which valued his one-year-old company at Rs 12 crore.
Leaving JEE coaching to chase a dream
Jaiwardhan isn’t your average student. While most kids his age are buried in textbooks, he has been coding since he was 10. He told the Sharks that he used to want to be a chess grandmaster, but his passion shifted to web development. He even tried building a social media site and a toy rocket before settling on AI.
His father, a math professor, helped him develop a sharp logical mind. Interestingly, Jaiwardhan started this project after a friend told him to build something “worthy” for his resume. But for him, it’s much more than a school assignment. When the Sharks asked if he’d go to college or focus on the business, he gave a bold reply: “I left my JEE coaching for this. This opportunity doesn’t care if I am 13 or 21.”
Facing the Sharks
The Sharks had some tough questions. They worried about how his model would compete with giant tools like ChatGPT. Jaiwardhan stood his ground, explaining that his platform is specifically for healthcare and would eventually make money by connecting patients with doctors.
While the other Sharks were deeply impressed, they felt the business was still in too early a stage for a traditional investment. However, with Ritesh Agarwal’s mentorship now in his corner, Jaiwardhan might not have walked out with a check from all five Sharks, but he certainly walked out with a bright future.