My story starts at a sewing machine. Not because I was a fashion designer, but because I was a student stuck at home during the pandemic with a deep desire to help. With PPE shortages skyrocketing, I co-founded Sweet Bee Community Support alongside my mother and a few neighbors, transforming our home into a grassroots production hub. We used what we had—repurposed fabric, hair ties, borrowed sewing machines—and coordinated an assembly line powered by pure purpose. Over months, we donated more than 10,000 masks, face shields, and protective suits to Bay Area hospitals and schools. Later, we raised thousands to support the meals of frontline workers. I didn’t know anything about supply chains, but I knew people needed help—and I was determined to figure it out. The initiative taught me what it means to move fast and think smart in a world locked away. It was my first taste of creating sustainable, scalable solutions. It also taught me something deeper: that you don’t need a title or a paycheck to lead—you just need a reason.

My journey into technology, and now venture, started with that sewing machine and the conviction that small actions, when structured right, can create big ripples. Until now, most of my work has lived in labs or journals. From my early years of Genomics research and Generative AI, to designing autonomous underwater vehicles for mock electronic warfare at MIT CSAIL, to building computer vision systems for invasive plant detection at the ASDRP McMahan Lab—I’ve spent the past few years applying robotics and AI to some of the world’s most pressing environmental problems. Still, I’ve never worked at a startup. I’ve never contributed to a business team, or pitched a product, or had the chance to shadow a CEO. That’s what excites me most about HUVTSP—this is the summer I get to bridge the gap between invention and implementation. I want to understand how TECH’s ventures are structured, how products are tested in-market, and how data translates into decision-making. Most of all, I want to learn how to operate in that exhilarating, uncertain space between prototype and product. To sit down with real founders and managing officers and ask the questions I’ve been saving for years. Because I don’t want to stop at building systems in isolation—I want to be part of the process that brings them to life in the world.

One day, I hope to build something of my own. Maybe it will be a venture that applies AI to sustainable aquaculture. Maybe a company that uses robotics to map coral reef health. Or maybe a fund that backs young, unconventional founders—people who, like me, didn’t start with capital or connections but built their dreams anyway. HUVTSP is a space where these visions feel possible. Surrounded by mentors, startups, and peers who see business as a force for impact, I want to refine my thinking, sharpen my questions, and build a toolkit I can carry forward. What I love about the intersection of technology and venture is that it rewards both creativity and clarity. It allows you to dream—and then asks you to prove that dream can work. I’m not expecting to have a startup ready by the end of the summer, but I do expect to leave more equipped, more inspired, and more confident in my ability to someday lead my own venture. Every program, every research project, every step I’ve taken up to this point has taught me how to build things. Now, I want to learn how to build things that last—and that scale. I’m here to learn what it takes to not just imagine solutions, but launch them.

I'm originally from North Macedonia and grew up in the foster care system after losing both my parents at a young age. Life wasn't always easy, but I’ve always tried to be resourceful and proactive—seeking out learning opportunities, applying for internships in HR and IT departments, and earning stipends through national programs. I was fortunate to be supported by SOS Children's Villages, who later gave me the opportunity to study at UWC Costa Rica on a full scholarship. It's been a transformative experience—both academically and personally. I’ve learned that with the right people believing in you, you can build a life bigger than what the world expected of you.

I’ve always been fascinated by how technology and entrepreneurship can solve real problems—especially for underserved communities. When I read about HUVTSP, it felt like exactly the kind of space I wanted to be in: one full of innovation, bold thinking, and real-world action. I applied because I want to grow as a builder, contribute my own perspective, and learn from incredible mentors and peers.

With support from the GoMakeADifference grant, I launched a financial literacy project for foster youth across Costa Rica and North Macedonia. I lead workshops that go far beyond budgeting and saving—we dive into real-world topics like identifying scams, navigating rental contracts, managing emergency funds, understanding co-signers, using digital banking platforms, credit and borrowing myths, basic investing, planning for unpredictable events, and distinguishing between wants, needs, and long-term goals.

To ensure the content is accessible, practical, and culturally relevant, I collaborated with a local university to help design the curriculum—from a care leaver, for care leavers. I also engaged classmates from my economics-track high school in North Macedonia and mobilized Spanish-speaking peers at UWC Costa Rica to co-facilitate the workshops. We use storytelling, interactive roleplay, and games to bring the lessons to life. I also developed HTML-based simulations that mirror real-life financial decisions, making the experience both engaging and realistic. Alongside delivering workshops, I’ve also been collecting participant feedback and synthesizing those insights as part of my research.

I’ve recently begun coordinating with SOS International to explore expanding this initiative across additional villages globally. What began as a two-continent pilot is now growing into a youth-led, replicable model aimed at empowering care-experienced youth with the tools and confidence they need to transition into independent living. At its core, the project is about equipping others with the tools I wish I had when I was navigating that transition myself.

After HUVTSP, I want to continue expanding this initiative and use the skills I gain from the program and internship to one day build a startup that supports care leavers in developing countries with financial skills, mentorship, and access to remote work. I’m currently doing research through Pioneer Academics on economic development, and I hope to study economics and public policy long-term—combining entrepreneurship and social impact to close opportunity gaps.

In my bedroom, a giant whiteboard wall tells my story better than I ever could; it is covered in half-solved proofs, failed solar panel schematics, marketing ideas for my charity organization, and reminders to water the plants. Growing up in Myanmar during the coup, with soldiers patrolling outside, I found solace in studying calculus concepts late at night while managing multiple secret side hustles. I am the kid who gets excited about math problems. Like, actually excited. The first time I learned about Jacobian matrices, I blushed (weird, I know). But the thing is, math is how I make sense of the world, from coding silly apps for my sister to figuring out how to charge my phone without electricity.

When I am not obsessing over math competitions (50+ medals and counting!), you will find me teaching English to displaced workers in Myanmar, hiking mountains with a broken ankle, attempting to fix the AC in my room, or trying (and failing) to keep plants alive in my house.

I applied to HUVTSP because I want to create solutions to help people in difficult situations. In Myanmar, even something as basic as reliable electricity is a challenge. That euphoric moment when my janky solar panel finally charged my phone was one of the most rewarding experiences ever. It was tangible proof that something I built could truly work and could make a difference. But our community needs more than duct-tape fixes. The program's startup labs are exactly what I need to turn my “maybe-this-will-work” ideas into viable solutions. I am especially excited to learn from founders who have turned prototypes into successful ventures and to meet other amazing students who share the same passion for innovation.

As a full financial aid recipient at HUVTSP, I feel incredibly fortunate to be here. After the program, I plan to launch a project that combines everything I love. It could be an app to connect students with mentors or a system to track blackouts in Myanmar. Looking ahead, I hope my projects will address educational and financial inequalities. Because if there is one thing I have learned from teaching English to displaced citizens, it is that opportunity changes everything, and technology can help create those opportunities.