Aryan Nangia, a Class 12 student at Pathways School, was developing an app for senior citizens when he faced a roadblock. “I noticed that many of my friends and peers had great ideas for things they wanted to build, but they struggled with turning those ideas into reality,” he shares.
To address this gap, Aryan created ‘LaunchPad’, a free digital platform designed to help teenagers learn future-proof skills and build real-world projects. “I realised there was a gap in the resources available for people like me,” he says.
LaunchPad helps students learn skills like design thinking, AI, business fundamentals, storytelling, and financial literacy. “These are the skills that will be relevant no matter what career path students choose,” Aryan explains.
The platform uses interactive modules, expert interviews, quizzes, and guided assignments to help students create their first projects.
Aryan faced many challenges while launching the platform. “When I first pitched the idea, I went from class to class, speaking with students and noting down their names,” he recalls.
“We started by experimenting with our marketing. I created Instagram reels and made posts for our LinkedIn page,” Aryan shares.
With limited coding experience, Aryan used no-code platforms for front-end design while his friends helped with back-end coding. “I learned a lot along the way, but my friends really helped me fine-tune the website,” he adds.
LaunchPad also offers personalised mentorship, pairing students with volunteers based on their interests. “It’s really about providing first-hand advice and support during their project-building journey,” says Aryan.
Today, LaunchPad serves over 300 students and partners with several NGOs. “We want to ensure that no financial barriers stand in the way of students learning these essential skills,” says Aryan, who decided to keep the platform completely free to use.
Aryan envisions LaunchPad as a self-sustaining community where graduates can become mentors. “The idea is that once students complete the course, they can choose to guide new students. At the end of the day, we’re a platform built by students, for students.”