Preksha Kaparwan, Cofounder & CMO of Super AI, is a forward-thinking entrepreneur and an influential voice in AI technology with over half a million followers. Her path to her current leadership role has been anything but conventional. Beginning her career as a chef, Preksha eventually ventured into tech—a journey shaped by her curiosity, resilience, and willingness to step into the unknown. Preksha’s journey from the culinary world to AI began with her decision to work with a Data Science startup that catered specifically to hospitality clients. Though she was a newcomer to the tech industry, she found her footing by learning the essentials and adapting quickly. Initially working closely with restaurants and hotels, Preksha recognized the demand for new digital tools in the industry and decided to learn coding to help her team deliver on these demands. By immersing herself in the world of tech, she not only improved her technical skills but also gained a clearer understanding of how technology could elevate hospitality.
After gaining valuable experience in tech, Preksha joined a publicly traded company to broaden her expertise in sales and marketing. This phase served as her learning ground for technology marketing, where she began shaping her approach to leading in a field that was rapidly changing. Eventually, she returned to the startup scene, taking on a leadership role and honing her skills in marketing. Today, Preksha is the co-founder of her own company, where she works alongside her partner, Saurabh Moody, helping tech startups establish themselves in a competitive market. Preksha’s motivation to step into a leadership role was driven by a strong desire to innovate and make a meaningful impact. She was especially drawn to the challenge of transforming traditional B2B marketing approaches. Noticing how audiences were shifting to digital platforms and how business hierarchies were becoming more transparent, Preksha wanted to harness this shift to connect with clients and partners in a more engaging, personalized way.
“If you focus on the challenges that life and society throw at you, you’ll miss out on the places you were meant to go.”
Building a team that shared her vision was both essential and challenging. Preksha understood that to successfully implement her unique methods, she needed to either work independently or create her own team. She chose to do both, crafting a work environment that encouraged experimentation and creativity. Like any journey, Preksha’s path to leadership was not without obstacles. She highlights three main challenges: lacking a clear roadmap, assembling the right team, and enduring a lack of support. In the early stages of her career, Preksha often found herself navigating uncharted territory without guidance. It was difficult to envision how she would achieve her goals, especially with limited resources and support. Finding team members who were open to taking risks and working without guaranteed outcomes was another significant hurdle. Additionally, Preksha often worked long hours, putting in up to 18 hours a day to meet the demands of the job and build her expertise.
To overcome these challenges, Preksha focused on experimenting and taking calculated risks. With the support of a CEO who encouraged innovation, she began creating social media videos to showcase her company’s software-as-a-service (SaaS) products. These efforts paid off, as her team started gaining recognition and support, especially after launching an AI model two years before ChatGPT made its debut. By being transparent about their development journey, Preksha and her team attracted attention and talent, making their mission a shared endeavor that people were eager to join. One of the defining moments in Preksha’s career was her decision to go public with the development process of her AI SaaS product. While many questioned her choice to openly share updates on platforms like LinkedIn, the move generated millions of views and heightened excitement around her team’s work. This transparent approach opened doors to discussions with major tech companies, including Apple, Google, and LinkedIn.
Another milestone came during the pandemic, when Preksha and her team created a global community of “Citizen Data Scientists”—a network of over 10,000 individuals passionate about data science. This initiative, which began with a small group of women looking to improve their data skills, quickly grew into a global fellowship. By building this community, Preksha not only empowered individuals to enter the tech field but also showcased her dedication to making data science accessible to all. Preksha credits much of her success to the mentors who guided her along the way. One of her earliest influences was her co-founder, Saurabh Moody, an innovative technologist with experience at Microsoft. His foresight and dedication to AI technology inspired Preksha to think about the future of AI in enterprises and motivated her to pursue her own unique vision. Additionally, Preksha was inspired by Cassie Kozyrkov, Google’s first Chief Decision Scientist, whose passion for machine learning and neural networks inspired Preksha to make technology relatable and accessible to all. Cassie’s example helped Preksha realize the importance of communicating complex concepts to a wide audience.
“It’s my responsibility as a leader to help my team find their own path and maximize their potential, with or without me.”
According to Preksha, effective leadership is rooted in understanding each team member’s potential and helping them grow. She believes it is her responsibility to guide her team members down paths that allow them to make the best use of their talents. Preksha also stresses the importance of delegation, viewing it as essential for nurturing her team’s skills and ensuring the company’s success. By delegating tasks and giving her team space to take ownership, Preksha creates an environment where individuals feel valued and motivated to contribute. Balancing work with personal life has been a journey in itself for Preksha. Initially, she struggled with maintaining this balance, working tirelessly in a culture where hard work was often equated with success. After experiencing burnout, she took a break to recharge and reflect on her priorities. It was during a trip to the U.S., where she observed people’s commitment to personal time, that she realized the importance of maintaining boundaries. Since then, Preksha has restructured her life, placing herself and her family at the forefront, with work planned around these priorities.
Preksha has developed various strategies to stay motivated. She understands that motivation can fluctuate and often depends on factors like fatigue, feeling stuck, or a lack of appreciation. To combat fatigue, she prioritizes self-care and takes breaks when needed. When faced with challenges, Preksha immerses herself in research, creating mind maps to explore new approaches. Additionally, she reaches out to mentors or peers for fresh perspectives. If she feels unappreciated, she evaluates whether she is in the right environment or if she needs to find new ways to showcase her value. As a leader, one of the most difficult decisions Preksha faced was letting go of her team during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of her team members had been with the company for over five years, making the decision incredibly personal and painful. Preksha and her co-founder did their best to support each team member during this transition, helping them find new opportunities and providing assistance until they secured new positions. Some of those team members have since returned, reinforcing the trust and respect they have for her leadership.
One of Preksha & Saurabh’s proudest achievements is creating Super AI, a deterministic AI platform designed to analyze enterprise data with precision in a secure environment. This groundbreaking technology, which combines business logic and decision-making models with a text-to-code language model, allows organizations to harness AI in a private setting. Their work on Super AI represents a significant advancement in the industry, offering enterprises a robust, customizable AI tool similar to ChatGPT.
Another highlight of her career is the Citizen Data Scientist program, which began as Saurabh’s initiative to help a small group of women develop data analysis skills and Preksha’s execution to take it far and wide . The program has since grown into a global network of 10,000 fellows, all trained under the mentorship of the original cohort. Preksha’s dedication to empowering individuals in data science has created a ripple effect, providing people worldwide with valuable skills and opportunities.
“I realized that building something impactful often means creating your own path—even if that means starting from scratch.”
Preksha is deeply committed to supporting women in her field. As a mentor through the NSRCEL at IIM Bangalore, she provides guidance to early-stage women entrepreneurs, helping them navigate the challenges of building a business. She also regularly hosts LinkedIn Live sessions with Data Science Experts to share industry insights and conduct one-on-one counseling sessions for those in need of career guidance. Preksha believes that building a strong network of support is essential for women in tech, and she continues to benefit from the perspectives and experiences of other women in her field. Preksha’s advice to young women aspiring to leadership is to focus on their goals rather than the obstacles. She encourages women to view challenges as part of the journey rather than barriers to their success. She firmly believes that the resilience gained through overcoming these challenges will be crucial for achieving their aspirations.
Looking to the future, Preksha is optimistic about the role of women in leadership. She has observed significant changes in the past decade, with more women occupying high-level positions and contributing their voices to decision-making processes. Preksha believes this trend will continue, with more women leading in various industries and proving that gender is no barrier to success. Reflecting on her journey, Preksha shares that resilience has been her greatest asset. Each time she encountered setbacks, she chose to start again with renewed determination. Her message to readers is simple: setbacks are just part of the process. With patience, resilience, and a willingness to keep trying, she believes that anyone can achieve their dreams.
