SXSW Pitch: NeelAgil Technologies
The Forrest Four-Cast: February 19, 2020
The next time you’re out in a crowd, look around. Imagine one out of every 10 people you see has a debilitating and often fatal disease.
In the United States, in 2018, a stunning 10.5 percent of the population had diabetes, 34.2 million Americans. The global prevalence has jumped as well, going from 108 million adults worldwide in 1980 (4.7 percent) to 425 million in 2014 (8.5 percent).
Insulin was invented nearly 100 years ago to manage diabetes, but the painful and complicated means of administering the lifesaving treatment via injection hasn’t changed much since then.
NeelAgil Technologies Private Limited, one of 50 finalists for SXSW Pitch 2020, is determined to change that. They’ve developed an oral insulin technology for insulin dependent diabetes patients. This invention could help million of diabetes patients around the world by providing painless and cost-effective therapy, which will not only help people with diabetes to live longer, but to live healthier by ensuring adherence to therapy and reducing injection-induced delayed healing wounds.
Neelam Dwivedi, co-founder of NeelAgil Technologies Private Ltd., which is based in Hyderabad, India, was part of the team that developed oral insulin formulation during Ph. D. work at IIT Bombay.
See the NeelAgil pitch in the category of Innovative World Technology (5 pm to 6 pm Saturday, March 14) before a live audience and a panel of expert judges.
Winners in each of the 10 categories will be announced at the Pitch Awards Ceremony, at 6:30 pm Sunday, March 15. SXSW attendees are also invited to Meet the Finalists from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm Monday, March 16. All SXSW Pitch events take place at the Hilton Austin Downtown.
Dwivedi talked about what’s great about Hyderabad, why computers are overrated, and how running a startup is like having a baby.
What is your top goal for NeelAgil Technologies Pvt. Ltd. in 2020?
To complete pre-clinical studies and FDA regulatory clearance.
Tell us your favorite thing about being based in Hyderabad.
Hyderbad is famously known as “Cyberabad.” It’s a hub for IT solutions for the world. It has given the world a cost-effective model with Business Processing Outsourcing and its services. As an Indian, I am proud of this, and I want my country to be known for low-cost healthcare solutions too.
With the exception of your own product, what tech trend is your team most excited about?
My team consists of Co-Founder Dr. Arunagirinathan M. Adhimoolam, who is passionate about the next challenge of solid waste disposal. Our Legal Advisor, Dr. Kanchan Dwivedi, is interested in latest electronic gadgets, and Advisor Professor Jayesh Bellare is fascinated by electron microscopes and biomedical engineering.
What is the most overhyped tech trend of 2020?
Artifical Intelligence.
If you weren’t working for NeelAgil Technologies, what would you be doing?
I am passionate scientist and my passion would have made me to work for some solution for betterment of mankind. As the quote of Einstein goes, “I thank to every person who said no to me. I did it myself.” That is how my company has born.
What has the startup experience taught you about life?
Startup is like your own baby, and as a mother I have experienced both. It teaches you patience, persistence, testing your own limits, not to forget, long working hours and sleepless nights. In short, it keeps you going and you become expert as your child/company grows.
Which living person do you most admire and why?
My parents, since their hardwork, patience and persistence made us to be here.
As well I admire A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, the most selfless, committed, never-give-up person I have seen. Yet he was humble and always tried to find good or kindness in every situation.
What do you think is the most overrated virtue?
Computers. I am from the land of Aryabhata, who discovered zero and Sanskrit, mother of all languages. We also have Shakuntala Devi, the living computer.
Which talent would you most like to have?
Keeping the child in me alive. Being adaptive to change, without changing focus.
What’s your actual super power?
Consistency, perseverance and a never-give-up attitude.
What motto or quote do you live by?
You have to design your way to success.
Tell us about something you love.
I loved the books “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini and “2 States: The Story of My Marriage” by Chetan Bhagat. And movies which inspire like Forrest Gump, In Pursuit of Happiness, and the Wolf of Wall Street.
I also love seaside destinations as they give me necessary energy, and ensure me the vastness of the opportunity the world has for me.
What do you do when you are low on energy?
I love to do zumba, painting, and meditation. Playing with my kid, having me time over a cuppa of tea in early morning also helps me a lot.
If you were offered the opportunity to colonize Mars (but with no guarantee that you would ever return to Earth), would you go?
Yes, I would take this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with open hands. I love to explore unexplored territory, and I am confident my family will support me as they always do.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten — or given?
Success of any startup is 50–50. Don’t get disheartened by failures. They are your biggest teacher.
Look for more interviews with other finalists in this space between now and the start of SXSW Pitch on Saturday, March 14. Visit this page to see all previous interviews in this series as well as a list of all finalists.
If you are an entrepreneur, check out the SXSW 2020 Startups Track, which runs March 13–17. This track brings together founders and funders and showcases exciting new companies, products, services, and business models across different verticals and industries.
Hugh Forrest serves as Chief Programming Officer at SXSW, the world’s most unique gathering of creative professionals. He also tries to write at least four paragraphs per day on Medium. These posts often cover tech-related trends; other times they focus on books, pop culture, sports and other current events.
