Nikhil Mahesh Software x Hardware meet Innovation
Entrepreneur building AI-powered & hardware solutions and leading tech startups from Seattle. Nationally qualified in competitive speaking, with expertise in machine learning, computer vision, robotics, and full-stack development.
About Me
From Dallas to Seattle, coding since age 9
I was born in Dallas, Texas, and am now living in Seattle, Washington. I started coding at age 9 and haven't stopped building since. Currently a junior at Eastside Preparatory School here in Washington.
You'll find me combining my passion for technology with entrepreneurial drive, focused on building AI-powered solutions that solve real-world problems while maintaining excellence in academics and competitive speech.
It isn't just tech, it isn't just AI, it isn't just ideas. It's how they can build together...
My Journey (so far)
From a random library book to building the future
The Beginning 🌄
I was 9, living in Seattle, when I stumbled across a random Python book at the library. Before that, I had never really thought about coding or interacted with technology. But something about creating things from just text on a screen fascinated me. Then COVID hit, and while quarantine shut real doors, it opened virtual ones. Suddenly, I had endless time to dive deep into this new world: web development, Unity, Python, Arduinos, AWS, circuitry. That same instinct carried into Destination Imagination (2nd in Engineering globally, 2022; Engineering #2 in WA, 2024) where I took those skills and ran with them.
The Spark ✨
Moving to Eastside Prep changed everything. I wasn't just coding for fun anymore; I started seeing real problems everywhere that I had the skills to fix. My first hackathon win with EPCarpool was this "aha!" moment. It wasn't about the trophy; it was realizing that the stuff I built in my bedroom could actually make people's lives better.
The Vision 🌟
Speech & Debate competitions taught me how to communicate, not just to yourself, but to the world. It isn't just about knowing; it's about understanding that the best ideas mean nothing if you can't figure out how to present them to the world. It's not just the idea, but the execution that changes everything.
The Mission 🚀
Now I'm obsessed with the intersections: where AI meets real human needs, where business logic meets social impact, where crazy technical ideas meet messy real-world problems. HydraSmart isn't just another startup; it's proof that when you combine the right technology with genuine care for people, you can build something that actually matters.
"Innovation doesn't come from just mastery, it comes from being the first to combine two ideas together in a way that resonates with the problem."
- My philosophy on building meaningful technology
Education
Academic excellence across multiple domains
Eastside Preparatory School
Stanford University Programs
Pre-Collegiate Product Design (2025) • Machine Learning Specialization (2024)
STEP Computer Academy
3-year university-level CS program • Low-level programming & advanced algorithms
Pioneer Academics
Journal Nominee, top 6% of select Pioneer cohort; research detailed under Experience
Experience
Real-world impact through internships and innovation
ML Software Engineer Intern
VoiceGain.AI - Dallas, TX
Embedded on the Machine Learning team developing private, on-premise voice agent systems for enterprise clients. Contributed production-level code alongside full-time engineers on latency-sensitive, customer-facing systems.
Research Scholar
Pioneer Academics - Computer Vision
Independent research under Prof. Susan Fox on a multimodal approach to allowing machines to understand emotional intent. Evaluation: A+. Selected as a Pioneer International Journal Nominee (top 6% of select Pioneer cohort).
Co-founder & CEO
HydraSmart™
Hydration tracker for pregnant and postpartum women. The puck clips onto 96% of commercially sold bottles (no proprietary bottle, no flat surface required). Piloting with doula networks and Lamaze educators nationwide.
Competitive Speaker
Speech & Debate - Extemp & Impromptu
National-circuit extemporaneous speaker. Quarterfinalist at the Cal Invitational (Berkeley) and 4th Place at the National TOC Digital Series #2. TOC Gold Bid, 3x TOC Bid, 6x NIETOC Bid.
Software Engineer Intern
ONDC/Bizom - Bangalore, India
Built computer vision and dense object detection system for inventory tracking and automated customer support using AI. Automated 100+ daily customer queries with 96% accuracy on both text and visual feedback.
Supervised Fine-Tuning Team
TheSchoolOf.AI, ERA V4
Long-form technical cohort training modern deep learning systems end-to-end at dramatically lower cost. Driving training-stack optimization and supervised fine-tuning implementation.
Volunteer Software Intern
FAME India - Bangalore, India
Built application for caregivers to collect real-time feedback from student beneficiaries with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Automated parent feedback workflows and developing centralized information system for NDD care resources.
Community Outreach Co-Chair
Eastside Preparatory School
Lead organizer for TEDxEastside Preparatory School, a Youth TEDx event on October 29, 2026. Official TEDx license approved; curating community ideas & talent. Developing a smart scheduling widget for the entire student body to optimize assignment pacing and improve learning rates.
Founder & Organizer
Frontier Cascadia
Seattle's high school hackathon for the most technically ambitious builders in the Pacific Northwest. 12 hours to ship something real, judged by engineers, VCs, and university faculty. $10,000+ in prizes, free to enter. Pending 501(c)(3). September 19, 2026.
Technical Skills
Expertise across multiple domains - from AI/ML to full-stack development
Languages & Utilities
AI & Machine Learning
Full-Stack Development
What's going on right now...
The projects and initiatives I'm actively working on
HydraSmart™ Development
Piloting the puck with doula networks and Lamaze educators nationwide. The device clips onto 96% of commercially sold bottles. App adapts reminders around activity, weather, and lifestyle rather than a fixed target.
Computer Vision Research
Developing a novel approach to detect micro-expressions and nonverbal cues for autism spectrum support through Pioneer Academics. Using advanced deep learning techniques with PyTorch and OpenCV.
Frontier Cascadia
Seattle's high school hackathon for the Pacific Northwest. 12 hours, real projects, judged by engineers and VCs. $10,000+ in prizes, free to enter. September 19, 2026.
Featured Projects
Innovation through code - solving real problems
Lingle™
Writing-first language learning platform with fine-tuned AI models delivering unmatched accuracy. Partnering with regional schools to accelerate learning for all students.
ExtemPT
Generative AI platform for competitive speech prep with agentic tooling and advanced internet search capabilities. Complete comprehensive website for extemporaneous speech preparation.
EPCarpool
Sustainability platform reducing single-car travel for school events by an order of magnitude. Allows event hosting and carpool registration. 1st Place Hackathon Winner 2023.
Let's Build Something Amazing
Ready to innovate? Let's connect and explore opportunities together.
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Get In Touch
Location
Seattle, WashingtonAvailable for remote & local opportunities
Available For
Internships, Consulting, PartnershipsOpen to innovative projects and collaborations
Response Time
I typically respond within 24 hours during business days. For urgent matters, please mention "URGENT" in your subject line.