Nikhil has a vision to make tech education accessible to everyone
Nikhil Bohra Nirmal Kumar graduated from the master’s programme in Engineering Design in 2017. He has now set up his own company in India.
Hi Nikhil, what are you working with at the moment?
I recently left my job at FluxGen Engineering Technologies, as Head of Strategy and Sales and started my own company called The Tech Tribe. A friend and I co-founded this company, with a vision to make tech education accessible to rural parts of India. Technology has always bound us together across generations, no matter where you are in the world, technology is a common language. We decided that in a developing nation like India, it was very important that everyone has access to technology to improve living conditions in the rural areas and also to enhance employment opportunities.
What can a regular day look like at your job?
A regular working day involves a range of activities; in the early stages of starting up a company it’s quite important for the founders to wear as many hats as possible. A typical day starts with a stand-up meeting where our team discusses all the tasks completed, and whether they need help with any of the interdependent tasks. My mornings are mostly brainstorming our upcoming workshops and service designs. A little later in the morning we work on the marketing plan for our upcoming events and workshops and designing the material. Then I’m usually involved in reaching out to potential contacts and leads to help them understand what we are doing and how we can solve their problems effectively. I believe that learning is a never-ending process, so I spend my evenings tinkering with our educational product designs and work on some online courses to learn more about technologies like AI, ML, IoT and Embedded systems.
Have you worked with anything else since you graduated?
Ever since I graduated, Sweden as a country has always motivated me to work with green tech and education. During my studies I interned with a solar start-up called SolAngel Energy, one of the InnoEnergy start-ups based in Stockholm. Immediately after graduating I returned to my home country and interned at Ather Energy, one of India’s pioneering electric vehicle start-ups. After this I started work at FluxGen Engineering, as Head of Product Strategy and Sales. FluxGen Engineering Technologies specializes in IoT-based water management systems. Its focus is to help resolve the severe water crisis Indian cities currently face through measuring and managing the water efficiently.
Why did you choose this programme at KTH?
This particular programme in Engineering Design, with specialization in Mechatronics, offered me a very interesting and well-balanced synergy of mechanical, electrical and computer engineering. One of the biggest challenges engineers face today is the vast amounts of data flowing from a wide variety of complex systems. This programme helps develop a deeper understanding of the synergy between the three engineering fields and helps to better develop products. It also offered incredible industry sessions at one of the top companies in Sweden giving us deeper insights into how industries develop complex systems. These included visits to Scania, Mycronic and AF.
What were the best aspects of your studies at KTH?
The best aspects of studying at KTH were the exposure to global companies and the diversity in the classroom. Students from different countries give different perspectives to the whole classroom atmosphere. In addition, the state-of-the-art lab and equipment facilities gave the study period at KTH an amazing boost to our careers.
What is your best memory from your time at the university?
The best memories from my time at the university were mainly the sprawling beautiful campus that makes the whole studying experience fantabulous. The university also has a vibrant student culture that makes the whole experience a life changing one.
What are your plans for the future?
My plan for the future is to open up schools in rural India where creativity and innovation are the first priorities. This is more like my life vision, and studying in Sweden, where the education system is very different with a fun approach to learning and a focus on innovation has powerfully enhanced my vision and motivation.
What would you say to a student thinking of applying for this programme?
I would strongly recommend students with an interest in product development and multidisciplinary system design to apply for this programme. A good programming background would be really handy if you apply for this course.