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����ԭ�� graduate student Tharun Sai Nandigam is cooking up innovation to support the food industry — and now he has $5,000 in startup funds to help bring his vision to life.

Nandigam, a student from India, took first place in the 2025 Wright Venture competition for his startup, Kyantra, a smart management platform built for shared kitchens, food entrepreneurs and independent restaurants to simplify operations and boost profitability.

Hosted by , Wright Venture gives students a chance to develop and present their startup ideas and compete for seed funding.

Nandigam’s winning business pitch stood out among five finalists and was selected by a panel of three local entrepreneurs in a competition modeled after the reality TV show “Shark Tank.”

Kyantra features an all-in-one system that covers kitchen scheduling, payments, compliance management, marketing and advanced AI tools like dynamic pricing and predictive ordering.

“We are also expanding into the food truck market, helping mobile food businesses manage their orders, optimize their routes, automate pricing and grow their operations seamlessly,” Nandigam said. “Whether it’s a shared kitchen, a stationary restaurant or a food truck on the move, Kyantra empowers food businesses to work smarter, faster and better.”

The name Kyantra comes from two Sanskrit words: Gyaan, meaning “knowledge,” and Yantra, meaning “machine” — together symbolizing a “machine of knowledge.”

“We chose Sanskrit because it is one of the oldest and most structured languages in the world,” he said. “Sanskrit represents depth, intelligence and timelessness, which perfectly reflects our vision of building a platform that is smart, structured, and built to last.”

The “K” in Kyantra stands for “kitchen,” symbolizing essential kitchen tools, of which a fork, spoon and a chef’s hat are incorporated into its logo design along with a bright color scheme.

“Orange represents warmth and energy, green symbolizes freshness and sustainability, and yellow brings creativity and optimism,” Nandigam said. “Together, they create a vibrant, inviting feel that reflects the spirit of the food businesses we serve.”

Lesley Ott, one of the Wright Venture judges and a two-time ����ԭ�� graduate, said Nandigam stood out with his thoughtful solution to a real-world challenge.

“The key for me is that he was solving a problem for other people,” said Ott, the chief operating officer at James Investment Research.

For example, Ott said, a “food truck operator might not have a business background but wants to cook the food and interact with clients. By using Tharun’s software and website, it allows business owners to focus on the things they enjoy.”

Ott also said she was impressed with Nandigam’s research and data.

“He had a great profit analysis and realistic revenue numbers,” Ott said. “He had a very professional presentation with great graphics, and you could tell he was passionate.”

Nandigam is consulting with his advisors to determine how best to invest the prize money. His initial idea is to invest in continued development and pilot testing with early users.

“Our goal is to launch a beta version by late summer this year and begin onboarding our first users in the fall,” he said.

He is on track to graduate with his in December and plans to stay at ����ԭ�� to pursue a , focusing on AI-driven real-world applications, while continuing to grow Kyantra.

The Ph.D. program will help strengthen both his technical expertise and long-term business strategy, combining deep research with practical execution.

“I chose ����ԭ�� because of its excellent computer science program, supportive faculty and welcoming environment for international students,” Nandigam said. “The Wright Venture experience was incredible. It helped me refine my business model, polish my pitch and gain valuable feedback from experienced judges and mentors.”