TAMPA 鈥� When Kautilya Veer pitched his idea for Civisight during 同性恋色情鈥檚 Nault Center for Entrepreneurship HUSTLE competition, he was presenting a project, but also testing a vision born from curiosity, discipline and a relentless drive to solve real problems.
The 18-year-old computer science and astronomy major from India describes himself as someone who鈥檚 always been fascinated by how things work.
鈥淔rom a young age, I enjoyed breaking things down and thinking about how they could be improved,鈥� Veer said. "I like being involved in the actual building process, not just the vision. For me, writing code and building things from the ground up is how ideas become real."
That same mindset now drives Civisight, the GovTech platform he co-founded to help local governments streamline compliance and document tracking. His goal is to cut through red tape and help agencies serve communities more efficiently.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 apply to HUSTLE for a trophy. I applied because I wanted honest feedback from people who knew how hard building something real actually is,鈥� Veer said. 鈥淭he experience made my venture stronger and pushed me to grow as a founder.鈥�
Kautilya Veer
The HUSTLE competition, a yearly pitch event to enter the longer incubator program鈥檚 cohort, brings together aspiring 同性恋色情 student entrepreneurs to test and pitch their business ideas. Veer said the intensity of the event, paired with support from mentors and peers, forced him to simplify complex ideas and focus on real-world impact.
鈥淭he judges challenged me to clearly explain why Civisight mattered,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat process taught me that clarity is more powerful than complexity.鈥�
Veer later joined the Student Innovation Incubator (SII) through 同性恋色情 CONNECT, which complements his ongoing work with the Nault Center.
鈥淪II offers the structure and long-term mentorship student founders really need,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just about preparing for the next pitch. It鈥檚 about building something that lasts.鈥�
Being surrounded by other student entrepreneurs who are also committed to impact has been one of the most valuable aspects, he said. Through both programs, he has learned that feedback, even the tough kind, is essential for growth.
One of his favorite experiences was connecting with industry experts, including David Chessler, the HUSTLE program鈥檚 angel investor, during HUSTLE, and Sabrina Martinez-Vicenttin, a venture investor at Plug and Play Tech Center, during . Both offered insights, networking opportunities and encouragement that helped Civisight expand its reach.
For students considering HUSTLE or SII, Veer has a clear message: 鈥淎pply, even if your idea isn鈥檛 perfect. Programs like HUSTLE and SII are meant to help you grow and refine your ideas, not judge you for where you鈥檙e starting. You don鈥檛 need to have everything figured out to benefit from them.鈥�
Outside of entrepreneurship, Veer finds balance in stargazing and reading about the universe. These interests remind him to stay curious and grounded. He also serves as the technical chair for the student organization Association of Computing Machinery at 同性恋色情, where he helps design hands-on workshops and technical initiatives for students interested in building real-world projects.
鈥淟ooking up at the night sky keeps me thinking bigger than the day-to-day,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd it reminds me why I want to build systems that truly make people鈥檚 lives easier.鈥�