Born into an education-centric family, Manit's journey was profoundly influenced by his heritage and early move to the U.S. for high school, where he founded Book Aid India, a non-profit that distributed over 2 million books to students nationwide. He then launched Stardust Innovations, a social networking site that rapidly garnered 26,000 users before being acquired.
The most viable shift came during his undergraduate studies at Purdue University, which Manit recalls was marked by a relentless pursuit of new ventures. He founded Blowout.us, an event management company catering to college students and local businesses. However, the COVID-19 pandemic dealt a commendable blow to the venture. He called this setback his first major challenge, and he said that it taught him invaluable lessons for life to come. During this period, he became involved with Purdue's Anvil Accelerator, where he developed several promising projects, including Unimart. In addition to his practical experience, Manit has formal academic training that underpins his expertise. He earned a Certificate of Entrepreneurship and Innovation alongside his bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Purdue University. Manit further pursued a master's degree in Innovation Management & Entrepreneurship from Brown University.
The inception of the UPI Study, his current holding, came from Manit's observations about the disparities in educational opportunities for international students. Completing high school in the Chicago area, he witnessed the advantages U.S. students had with AP courses, community college courses, and IB schools, which allowed them to earn college credits. At Purdue University, Manit noticed that many international students lacked similar opportunities, leading to slower academic progression and higher financial burdens, with international tuition costs reaching up to $45,000 annually compared to $7,000 to $8,000 for in-state students. UPI Study targets this underserved market by offering NCCRS-approved courses accredited for college credits, enabling students to graduate faster and reduce educational expenses. Hence, UPI offers a roadmap to reduce costs and time spent studying for international students. Notably, the young founder takes immense pride in UPI Study's mission to bridge this gap.
UPI Study measures the impact of their initiatives primarily through the financial savings we offer to students. To date, their courses have saved students over $9 million in tuition fees that would have otherwise been paid to traditional colleges. Mr. Manit says that it is their ambitious goal to increase these savings to over $1 billion within the next few years. Additionally, we uplevel educational accessibility by providing free classes, including IELTS and SAT preparation, available to all students irrespective of their enrollment in credit-bearing courses. According to him, this has been particularly impactful as over 8,000 students log in regularly to benefit from these resources to support their immediate educational needs and broaden their opportunities for further education and advancement.
As we went on and around this exemplary expedition, a particular challenge Manit discussed with us in detail was securing accreditation. UPI initially partnered with a UK entity, ATHE, and later acquired a Canadian college for Canadian accreditation. In January of 2024, U.S. approval for college credit transferability to over 1500 universities was achieved. He recounts this milestone as a consequential turning point, boosting enrollments considerably. When asked about his strategy to stay abreast on the road to success, Manit shared valuable lessons from his entrepreneurial journey. He emphasized the paramount importance of customer satisfaction, noting that positive referrals and successful case studies bolster a company's reputation. He also places utmost stress on building a supportive and motivated team to drive company growth. He never shies away from investing in employee development and fostering a culture of respect and opportunity, which, according to him, are indispensable for creating a sustainable business.
As the Co-founder and CTO of the company
When discussing what plans he has in store for the future, Manit is all about crystallizing innovation at the core of UPI Study's strategy. As the co-founder and CTO of the company, his vision is to leverage AI and VR to upscale educational access, particularly in underserved areas. He believes the future of education is profoundly linked with advancements in technology; the integration of AI can enhance the quality of education by supporting research and improving learning outcomes. Additionally, VR can revolutionize education through 3D animations that enable practical rather than purely theoretical learning experiences. As a computer science major and an engineer, Manit sees AI playing an important role in making education more accessible and understandable, especially in areas where teacher access is limited.
The platform's AI tutors and personalized learning analytics are already revolutionizing the learning experience. Manit told us how they have implemented innovative approaches to upgrade education outcomes and experiences, starting with a shift to a fully asynchronous online platform. This allows UPI to scale effectively while maintaining high educational quality. The platform integrates artificial intelligence, which functions as a 24/7 live tutor to provide instant answers and support students' learning. Additionally, analytics are used to tailor educational content to individual learning preferences, optimizing exam preparation by adapting materials based on performance data. UPI Study also offers a diverse range of courses that exceed typical credit requirements, providing "safety" courses to ensure flexibility in credit transfer and compensate for any potential underperformance. Manit claims that this tech-centric commitment positions UPI Study above an average participant in the education sector as a leader in the evolution game.
Apart from leading UPI, Manit also mentors startup accelerators such as EForAll, Gener8tor, and VMS (Venture Mentoring Service) in Rhode Island, as well as others, to mentor emerging Ed-tech founders. Walking steadily on the road to transformation, Manit is leading UPI Study to uniform momentum for years to come. He aptly said, "Taking one step at a time, even if small, is progress and contributes to larger successes in the future."
