SimPPL
NextGenAI · nextgenai.simppl.org

Forging the next generation of Responsible AI.

We train sophomore, junior, and senior undergraduates with basic programming knowledge to turn project ideas into viable, deployed products, while keeping responsible computing and explainable AI at the core. Fellows work with organizations in technology, policy, and government across journalism, fact-checking, digital literacy, and healthcare.

30+
students across 7 capstone teams (2024 cohort)
6
incubated products shipped
4
commercialization offers from industry partners
2
funded fellowships (Mozilla, Google)
Six incubated products · 2024 cohort

What our fellows shipped.

Every team built a working MVP, validated with real users, and published a public deck. Four of the seven 2024 teams received paid pilot offers from corporate clients.

Engraph

Demystifying codebases with AI

engraph.dev/

Onboarding new developers onto complicated codebases through natural-language queries with precise contextual responses. Live at engraph.dev; validated with 10+ working professionals from fresher devs through CTOs/CEOs.

Team
Arnav Deo · Mihir Panchal · Varad Prabhu · Prinkal Doshi

Fairify

Uncovering bias in NLP models

A bias-detection tool that lets engineers assess NLP models for biases specific to their use cases. Implements Counterfactual Sentence Testing and the Sentence Encoder Association Test, plus custom-dataset creation for targeted evaluation.

Team
Rashi Rana · Sakshi Sharma · Vanshika Dhruv · Vruddhi Shah

FinSage

A personal finance chatbot

Only 16.7% of Indian students understand basic finance. FinSage is a coach tailored to students, real-time spending insights, savings forecasts, budget tracking, daily tips and personalized guidance, building skills they carry long after graduation.

Team
Vidit Shah · Divye Shah · Hitansh Mehta · Ronit Jariwala

CrediBoost

Unmasking fake reviews on the marketplace

Chrome extension that detects and analyzes fake reviews on e-commerce platforms in real time using machine learning, deep learning, and NLP, and quantifies their impact by correlating with product metrics.

Team
Unnati Hassanandani · Vanshika Shah · Tanya Batra · Revati Shah

PhysioPlay

AI playground for diagnostic practice

WhatsApp-based AI platform that bridges theory and clinical practice for physiotherapy students. Gamified diagnostic scenarios with AI patient personas drawn from real-life cases. Piloting with 100+ students at a Mumbai college; 200+ simulated patient interactions to date.

Team
Yash Buddhadev · Vivek Vasani · Aryan More · Ami Khatri

SpeakBoost

Enhancing verbal communication with AI

Real-time feedback and personalized guidance for confident communication: real-time analysis, personalized learning modules, grammatical feedback, tone and delivery assessment, pace and filler-word detection, and scenario-based learning.

Team
Aditya Dubey · Aditi Ambasta · Jenish Soni
Two named fellowship tracks

Funded by Mozilla and Google.

Generously funded by Mozilla

Resident Fellowship

Resident Fellows were students enrolled in SVKM's educational institutions until June 2024. They received curricular credit for pursuing elective projects on responsible computing, with topics selected jointly by Fellows and professors. The fellowship structure included in-person workshops and group projects complementing their studies on responsible computing and online safety.

Generously funded by Google

Non-Resident Fellowship

Non-Resident Fellows included undergraduate students from Mumbai-area and pan-India institutions. They received mentorship for research projects on responsible computing, with topics selected independently under guidance. The fellowships involved in-person workshops and remote collaborations, focusing on responsible computing and online safety.

Why this fellowship

Four reasons our fellows say yes.

01

Work with industry data

Get a chance to work with real data from social media platforms and commodity analytics tools like Google Analytics to estimate the impact of information operations and identify networks that cause online harm.

02

Research opportunities

Exceptional candidates may be offered paid research or engineering internships, with potential for full-time positions at SimPPL.

03

Academic credit

The fellowship program allows candidates to present their SimPPL projects for potential academic credit recognition at their educational institutions.

04

Industry experts

Gain exclusive access to talks and sessions led by AI/ML experts and professionals in online trust and safety. Career-building insights directly from industry insiders.

Who runs the program

Instructors & mentors.

Instructors

Swapneel Mehta, Ph.D.
Swapneel Mehta, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Associate, Boston University and MIT Sloan
Dhara Mungra
Dhara Mungra
M.S. Data Science, NYU; co-founder, SimPPL
Harshit Mehta
Harshit Mehta
Product and Program Manager, Ion Energy

Mentors

Prof. Pranit Bari
Prof. Pranit Bari
DJ Sanghvi College of Engineering
Raghav Jain
Raghav Jain
PhD student, UC San Diego
Ananya Malik
Ananya Malik
PhD student, Northeastern University
Christian Schroeder de Witt
Christian Schroeder de Witt
Postdoctoral Officer, Oxford University
Jay Gala
Jay Gala
Researcher, MBZUAI
Himanshu Beniwal
Himanshu Beniwal
PhD student, IIT Gandhinagar
Chirag Raman
Chirag Raman
Delft University of Technology
Krisha Mehta
Krisha Mehta
PhD student, University of Chicago
Fellow voices

What our fellows say.

Gaining vision and confidence through practical experience

Being a part of SimPPL allowed me to work on high-impact projects with industry professionals and inspiring mentors. This refined both my technical and interpersonal skills. The SimPPL community's support and insights fostered my personal growth and professional connections.

Aryan More
SimPPL Fellow '23 · DJ Sanghvi College of Engineering
LinkedIn ↗
Insights into research workflows and teamwork

Being a part of SimPPL allowed me to explore a research-oriented career. I've gained valuable insights into the workflow of research organizations and team collaboration, which I plan to apply to my future projects.

Margi Yadav
SimPPL Fellow '23 · PDEU
LinkedIn ↗
Confidence and new opportunities

The mentorship and the opportunity to work on real-world projects provided invaluable experience and a fresh approach to problem-solving. SimPPL connected me with inspiring professionals, which enriched my learning and helped me grow.

Yash Buddhadev
SimPPL Fellow '23 · DJ Sanghvi College of Engineering
Hands-on experience and mentorship

The fellowship enhanced my technical skills and boosted my confidence in collaborative environments through hands-on data analysis. The mentorship from industry experts and real-world projects allowed me to apply my knowledge practically.

Pankti Sheta
SimPPL Fellow '23 · G H Patel College of Engineering and Technology
LinkedIn ↗
Mentorship and publication success

Being a part of the SimPPL community allowed me to publish at prestigious venues like NeurIPS, AAAI, ICWSM, and the Trust & Safety Research Conference at Stanford, and to mentor my peers, which built my own confidence.

Aditya Surve
SimPPL Fellow '23 · Thadomal Shahani Engineering College
LinkedIn ↗
Empowering growth through SimPPL

Working at SimPPL significantly enhanced my technical and leadership skills while allowing me to collaborate with industry professionals. Leading the technical development at Sakhi and receiving guidance from mentors like Swapneel and Raghav made this experience both rewarding and enriching.

Mrunmayi Parker
Research Engineer and Team Lead · Thadomal Shahani Engineering College
LinkedIn ↗
Building confidence through experience

My experience greatly improved my social skills and boosted my confidence in speaking fluent English, which is vital for communication here. A key moment was when I froze during a presentation due to anxiety; after gathering myself, I spoke much more effectively.

Naman Surana
SimPPL Fellowship '23 · DJ Sanghvi College of Engineering
Transformative experience as a Research Engineer

My time at SimPPL as a Research Engineer was pivotal in shaping my career. I gained hands-on experience in machine learning and customer behavior analytics, tackling real-world challenges. Mentorship from Dhara and Swapneel significantly enhanced my technical skills.

Mohammed Raza Syed
Research Engineer and Team Lead · University of Pennsylvania
LinkedIn ↗
Insights and skills at SimPPL

SimPPL offered valuable insights into professional organization dynamics and sharpened my ability to draft research papers for top-tier journals. Being part of this community connected me with mentors and peers who share my research passion.

Aneesh Shamraj
Student · Penn State University
LinkedIn ↗
Frequently asked

A few things people ask before applying.

What's the duration?+
The Fellowship typically spans 4 to 6 months, with the broader program flexing from 16 to 50 weeks depending on the partnering institution and team commitment.
Do I need prior research experience?+
No. About 90% of our team members joined SimPPL with minimal or no prior research experience. Basic programming knowledge is the only entry bar.
How are projects chosen?+
Resident Fellows pick topics jointly with their professors for academic credit; Non-Resident Fellows pick topics independently under mentor guidance.
What about funding?+
Past fellowships were funded by Google (exploreCSR) and Mozilla (Responsible Computing Challenge), running January–May 2024.
Is academic credit available?+
Yes, fellows can present SimPPL projects for academic credit recognition at their institutions.
Apply or partner

Inquiries welcome any time. Cohort dates announced when planning is firm.

If you're a student or a working professional who wants to learn to build responsible AI products, or you'd like to bring the program to your institution or company, drop us a note. We're happy to expand NextGenAI through partnerships, anywhere in the world.