Research

Research Projects & Team

A comprehensive view of ongoing and completed research initiatives, and the talented individuals who make this work possible.

Research Projects

Active and recent research initiatives across emerging markets.

active2025-01-01 — Present

Mentor Matching: Impact of Customized Mentoring on Entrepreneurs (with Micromentor)

In collaboration with Micromentor (Capital For Good), this research project develops a two-sided matching framework to customize business mentoring based on mentee and mentor characteristics. Using econometric modelling and machine learning, we aim to maximize successful matches and drive evidence-based engagement in the digital platform's matching algorithm.

Collaborators: Prof. Jaideep Prabhu, Prof. Ahmed Khwaja

Data Partners

Micromentor

active2025-01-01 — Present

Strengthening Rural Retail and Dairy Microentrepreneurs through Umang Malls (with Banas Dairy, Amul)

Partnering with Banas Dairy — India’s largest dairy cooperative and a key contributor to Amul, milk cooperative— to research sales performance, consumer behaviour, and marketing strategies for the Umang Mall rural retail model. The initiative covers 35+ stores in rural areas, following a circular-economy model, offering branded products to rural consumers who are also dairy entrepreneurs.

Data Partners

Banas Dairy (Umang Mall)

active2023-04-01 — Present

AI-Powered Satellite Data and WhatsApp Advisories for Farmer's Productivity (with Farmonaut)

Evaluating the causal impact of Farmonaut’s AI-powered satellite-based agricultural advisories on farmer productivity. Comparing WhatsApp-based alerts versus the JEEVN AI web portal, using remote sensing data (NDVI, SAVI), Regression Kink Design, and quasi-experimental techniques across 900+ farms.

Collaborators: Prof. Paul Kattuman, Prof. Luisa Corrado, Prof. Jaideep Prabhu

Data Partners

Farmonaut

active2023-01-01 — Present

Shattering the Invisible Chains: Women Entrepreneurs in Egypt

Investigating how age and gender influence buyer dependency in microenterprises in Egypt, this study uses multi-methods, including surveys, interviews, and scenario-based field experiments, to identify effective interventions to reduce supplier dependency and improve business performance for women entrepreneurs.

Collaborators: Prof. Magda Hassan, Prof. Jaideep Prabhu, Prof. Jarrod Vassello

active2022-01-01 — Present

The Frugal Space Race: Innovation in the Satellite Space Programme

Investigating the role of frugal innovation in India’s space programme (Chandrayaan, Mangalyaan), emphasizing how constraint-led innovation has made India globally competitive. Gathering comparative data on 17,000+ global satellite launches (US, Russia, China, etc.) to benchmark India’s performance on cost-effectiveness and policy implications.

Collaborators: Prof. Luisa Corrado, Prof. Paul Kattuman, Prof. Jaideep Prabhu

Consulting Projects

Applied research and strategic consulting engagements.

active2025-02-19 — 2026-04-30

Consultant | Micromentor (Impact Evaluation) | Africa, Asia, LATEM

Evaluating the program impact of Micromentor with their global business mentoring through rigorous analysis and evidence on entrepreneur growth and business outcomes.

Client: Micromentor, Capital for Good USA

active2026-03-01 — 2026-07-31

Researcher | MESH (AI Coach Pilot Study) | Kenya

White Policy Paper & Academic Research Paper | Lead research for MESH AI Credit Readiness Coach for microentrepreneurs in Kenya.

Client: MESH, Kenya (Nairobi)

Collaborators: Dalberg and Gates Foundation

Research Team

Current and former research assistants and collaborating students.

Current Team

Harshil Patel

VIT Vellore | BTech

2025-Present

Now: VIT Vellore - Undergraduate Student

Anuj Yadav

IIT Bombay | BTech in Environmental Engineering

2025-Present

Now: IIT Bombay - Undergraduate Student

Harsh Kumar

IIT Madras | BTech in Biotechnology

2025-Present

Now: IIT Madras - Undergraduate Student

Arsha Sharma

IGNOU | MCOM

2025-Present

Now: IGNOU - Postgraduate Student

Sahil Sehgal

IIT Roorkee | Bachelor Science in Economics

2026- Present

Now: IIT Roorkee - Undergraduate Student

Mohit Mehto

IIT Delhi - BTech in Chemical Engineering

2025-Present

Now: IIT Delhi - Undergraduate Student

Pulkit Priyadarshi

IIT Bombay | BTech in Civil Engineering

2025-Present

Now: IIT Bombay - Undergraduate Student

Pritha Jain

VIT Vellore | BTech in Chemical Engineering

2024-Present

Now: VIT Vellore - Undergraduate Student

Alumni

Samarth Jindal

Delhi Technological University (DTU) | Btech in Computer Science

2022-2025

Now: Sprinklr - Software Development Engineer (SDE-II)

Palak Bansal

BITS Pilani | MBA in Business Analytics

2022-2023

Now: Accenture - Product Lead

Rija Qureshi

Jamia Millia Islamia | Masters in Applied Psychology

2022-2023

Now: Queen Mary University of London - PhD Candidate (Marketing)

Denny B. Justin

IIT Kharagpur | BTech & MTech in Agricultural & Food Engineering

2023-2025

Now: World Bank - Data Scientist

Bravish Ghosh

IIT Madras | Bachelor's in Data Science

Now: Stealth - Founder | Prev: Microsoft - Cloud Architect, CBS - Portfolio Manager

Sayannil Das

IIT Bombay | BTech in Chemical Engineering & IIM Bangalore | MBA Business Analytics

2022-2023

Now: Goldman Sachs - Trader, Singapore

Divyansh Sunny

University of Glasgow | MRes in Business & Management

2022-2023

Now: Stockholm School of Economics - PhD Doctoral Researcher

Ojas Goel

IIT Bombay | BTech in Chemical Engineering

2024-2025

Now: IIT Bombay - Undergraduate Student

Ishani Ghoshal

London Business School | Masters in Analytics & Management

2022-2023

Now: Canonical - Product Manager, London

Aayush Kumar

IIT Kharagpur | BS & MS in Economics

2024-2025

Now: Bank of New York - Data Scientist

Shaswat Sheshank

IIT Kharagpur | BTech in Electronics & Electrical Communications Engineering

2022-2024

Now: Morgan Stanley - Senior Associate

Maryam Arif

COMSATS University Islamabad | Business Administration & Management

2023-2025

Now: MABEAUTY - CEO & FOUNDER

Aasawari Singh

IIT Kharagpur | BTech in Agricultural & Food Engineering

2024-2025

Now: Accenture - Strategy and Consulting

Kenneth Lobo

IIT Roorkee | BTech in Chemical Engineering

2024-Present

Now: American Express - Analyst, Risk Management

Rajvi Savla

IIT Bombay | Btech & Mtech in Environmental Science & Engineering

2023-2024

Now: Arthur D. Little - Management Consultant

Vedanta Mohapatra

IIT Bhubaneswar | BTech

2023-2024

Now: Perceptive Analytics - Analyst

Shraddha Ganesh

KREA University | BA (Hons) Economics & Business Studies

2024-2025

Now: 4U Venture Partners - Investment Fellow

Aryan Nayak

University of Mumbai-SIES college | Bachelor of Management Studies

2024-2025

Now: GlbXtnt - International University Partnerships Executive, Kenya

Vedanshi Virmani

IIT Bombay | BTech in Civil Engineering

2023-2024

Now: Procter & Gamble - Product Supply Manager

Aashutosh Joshi

IIT Kharagpur | Btech in Agricultural & Food Engineering.

2024-2025

Now: IIT Kharagpur - Btech Student

Abhishek Kumar

Hansraj College, Delhi University | Bachelors in Economics & Commerce

2022- 2023

Now: MD's Office - Strategy and Projects

Biswa Ranjan Barik

IIT Kharagpur | BTech & MTech in Industrial & Systems Engineering

2023-2024

Now: BlueStone Jewellery and Lifestyle Limited - Supply Chain Manager

Suryansh Dubey

IIT Kharagpur | BTech & MTech in Metallurgical & Materials Engineering

2024-2025

Now: EY GDS - Data Science Analyst Intern

Susanna P Yeldo

IIT Kharagpur | BTech in Electrical, Electronics & Communications Engineering

2023-2024

Now: Google - Software Engineer

Samarth Gudwala

IIT Roorkee | BTech in Mechanical & Industrial Engineering

2023-2025

Now: Chiratae Ventures - Investment Analyst

Raghav Verma

Hansraj College, Delhi University | B.Com (H)

2023-2024

Now: Bain and Company - Analyst (TMT)

Vaibhav Adicherla

IIT Kharagpur | BTech in Biotechnology

2022-2023

Now: TCG digital - Consultant

Koena Biswal

IIT Kharagpur | Btech & Mtech in Mechanical Engineering

2024-2025

Now: IIT Kharagpur - Btech Student

Adarsh Sharma

IIT (BHU) Varanasi | BTech & MTech in Materials Science and Technology

2023-2024

Now: IIT BHU - Product Management