# Emergent Ventures India, 18th cohort > Source: > Published: 2026-08-01 04:24:42+00:00 # Emergent Ventures India, 18th cohort [Adithyan Madhu](https://independent.academia.edu/AdithyanMadhu1), 14, an independent researcher, received his grant to study early writing systems, applying computational linguistics, pattern analysis, and structural methods to the Indus Valley script. [Aparajeet Shadangi](https://www.linkedin.com/in/aparajeet-shadangi-9113b8342/), 17, received his grant to explore conceptual approaches to cosmic expansion and dark energy while continuing his formal academic preparation in cosmology. [Kevin Gibson,](https://kevingibson.in/) a student developer, received his grant for Crsynk OS, a Python-based operating system integrated with an AI assistant and focused on lightweight user interfaces and accessible computing. He is also developing WiseChat AI and an AI Voice Engine. Vaishnavi Dilip, 13, received her grant to identify fire-resistant plants native to Indian ecosystems and plant them strategically as natural firebreaks in fire-prone areas. [Prince T. Philip](https://in.linkedin.com/in/princetphilip), an independent cybersecurity researcher and product architect focused on high-impact, future-facing risks in modern software systems, received his grant to build a security audit tool that surfaces vulnerabilities and design assumptions missed by traditional scanners. [Michaela Cross](https://www.instagram.com/rosechasm/?hl=en), a writer and content creator, received her grant for Rose Chasm, a video project on the history of India and its relationship to America and the wider world. [Vivekanand Bhat](https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivekanandrbhat?originalSubdomain=in) and [Rijesh Panicker](https://www.pathikatech.in/) received their grant for [Pathika](https://www.pathikatech.in/), to create immersive, augmented, multilingual onsite guided tours for heritage monuments across India. [Devanarayan](https://devanarayan.xyz), 15, received his grant for Open Horizon Observatory, a small open-access observing setup that produces and freely shares real astronomical data. He is developing low-cost workflows for time-series photometry and open data sharing for students and the public. [Roshan Kumar Gupta](https://www.linkedin.com/in/roshankumargupta-0xc0de/), 19, a computer science undergraduate, received his grant for TARS, a deterministic, physics-aware machine-learning pipeline for exoplanet discovery using TESS data. He aims to reduce false positives and identify physically credible habitable-world candidates in noisy observations. [Yajan Adhikari](https://x.com/yajan0), 19, a materials researcher, received his grant to build an operating system for digitizing and scaling the management of recyclable materials. [Pranet Khetan](https://www.linkedin.com/in/pranet-khetan-b2b107382), 17, received his grant to develop a novel, low-cost architecture for refreshable tactile graphics supporting STEM education for visually impaired students. [Karthik](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jjskarthik/), 18, a space engineer, received his grant to research the use of remote sensing in agricultural insurance. [Alexander Hogeveen Rutter](https://energywithalex.wordpress.com/), an energy expert, received his grant for analysis and advocacy of least-cost resource adequacy planning and other market-based measures in India’s power sector. [Akshit Arora](https://akshitep.github.io/portfolio-website/), an Engineering Physics student at IIT Delhi, and [Bhavey Sehgal](https://www.linkedin.com/in/bhavey-sehgal-31a0802b4/), a BITS Pilani student, received their grant for [NeuroBridge](https://neurobridge-website.vercel.app/). It uses eye tracking, computer vision, and AI to predict intent, giving people with ALS fast, confirmation-based speech instead of slow letter-by-letter eye typing, at a fraction of existing device costs. Cartoonist [Sumit Kumar](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sumitdrew?originalSubdomain=in) and [Vivekananda Roy Ghatak](https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivekanandar?originalSubdomain=in) received their grant to advance their animated series Aaapki Poojita and produce short, animated sketches and redesign and relaunch the famous [Bakarmax](http://www.bakarmax.com) webtoon platform. Progyan Das, 24, received his grant to develop fault-tolerant systems capable of using consumer devices for large-scale foundation model training. Yash Chitte, an MBA student, received his grant to build a wall-climbing robot that autonomously cleans glass facades. [Khushi Jain](https://www.linkedin.com/in/khushi-jain1972/), 23, an aerospace engineer, received her grant for [NadirX Space](https://nadirx.in/), to build space-grade test infrastructure and hardware-in-the-loop systems that enable reliable testing of advanced space technologies and support future interplanetary missions. [Rishit Kapoor](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rishit-kapoor-269187178/), an AI/ML researcher and engineer, received his grant for [Periscopic Labs](https://periscopic-labs.rishitkapoor-work.workers.dev/), which turns systematic reviews into living, AI-native infrastructure that keeps scientific claims traceable, verifiable, and continuously updated. [Koushik Das](https://www.linkedin.com/in/koushik-das-tech) received his grant to build an explainable clinical decision-support system that helps primary-care doctors interpret complete blood count reports and detect anemia patterns more quickly and safely. [Shashank Sanjay](https://www.linkedin.com/in/shashank-sanjay-06852827b), a medical student, received his grant to develop an affordable coronary stent. [Abrar Shahid](https://www.linkedin.com/in/maybeabrar/), a systems designer using AI to reduce accessibility gaps, received his grant for [Project Lumen AI](https://www.linkedin.com/company/project-lumen-ai/), to build an AI translation layer connecting external eye photographs with retinal fundus scans and make eye-disease diagnosis easier. Those unfamiliar with Emergent Ventures can learn more [here](https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2018/09/emergent-ventures-new-project-help-foment-enlightenment.html) and [here](https://www.mercatus.org/emergent-ventures). The EV India announcement is [here](https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2020/04/emergent-ventures-india.html). More about the winners of EV India [second](https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2020/07/emergent-ventures-india-second-cohort-of-winners.html), [third](https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2021/09/emergent-ventures-india-new-winners-third-indian-cohort.html), [fourth](https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2022/08/emergent-ventures-india-fourth-cohort.html), [fifth](https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2023/08/emergent-ventures-india-cohort-five.html), [sixth](https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2024/07/emergent-ventures-india-sixth-cohort.html), [seventh](https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2024/08/emergent-ventures-india-seventh-cohort.html), [eighth](https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2024/08/emergent-ventures-india-eighth-cohort.html), [ninth](https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2025/05/emergent-ventures-9th-india-cohort.html), [tenth](https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2025/05/emergent-ventures-india-10th-cohort.html), [eleventh](https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2025/10/emergent-ventures-india-11th-cohort.html), [twelfth](https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2025/11/emergent-ventures-india-12th-cohort.html), [thirteenth](https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2025/11/emergent-ventures-india-13th-cohort.html), [fourteenth](https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2025/12/emergent-ventures-india-14th-cohort.html), and [fifteenth](https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2025/12/emergent-ventures-india-15th-cohort.html) , [sixteenth](https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2026/04/emergent-ventures-india-16th-cohort.html), and [seventeenth](https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2026/07/emergent-ventures-india-17th-cohort.html) cohorts. To apply for EV India, use the [EV application](https://www.mercatus.org/emergent-ventures), click the “Apply Now” button and select India from the “My Project Will Affect” drop-down menu. And here is [Nabeel’s AI engine](https://www.evwinners.org/) for other EV winners. Here are [the other EV cohorts](https://marginalrevolution.com/?s=cohort). If you are interested in supporting the India tranche of Emergent Ventures, please write to me or to [Shruti](https://shrutiraj.com/) at [[email protected]](/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#addedfccc7cccac2ddccc1ccc3edc0c8dfceccd9d8de83cac0d883c8c9d8).