During his studies in Georgia Tech’s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, junior Atharva Lele has consistently pushed himself to take on new challenges, some of which are outside the norm for students in the major.
While immersing himself in student leadership, research, and internship activities, he’s also extended his reach into entrepreneurship.
For example, during his sophomore year, he elected to participate in the InVenture Prize competition to develop inventions that are judged by experts.
“Chemical engineering students don’t often do InVenture, and that’s why I wanted to compete in it,” Lele said. “I wanted to make sure I branched out from what students in our rigorous major traditionally do.”
Building a Business
His move paid off with a first-place finish in the 2025 InVenture Competition in spring 2025. Lele teamed with two students in other majors – Calla Scotch (materials science and engineering), Anuj Pandey (mechanical engineering) – to form Convexity Electronics, which won the InVenture Prize for its 3D printer for manufacturing printed circuit boards (PCBs) at scale with faster lead times and smaller circuitry.
“Our technology is a game changer,” Lele said. “Because we print additively, you’re not restricted by anything but your imagination. And companies no longer have to face delays.”
For their first-place finish, Convexity won $20,000 and a coveted spot in Georgia Tech’s CREATE-X Startup Launch program, where they are receiving mentorship and guidance to help bring their product to market. Over the summer, the teammates continued to refine their manufacturing process and showcased their progress at CREATE-X’s Demo Day to start the fall semester.
Convexity Electronics Teammates Atharva Lele (ChBE), Calla Scotch (MSE), and Anuj Pandey (ME) with InVenture Prize
This project wasn’t simply an academic exercise. The teammates are serious about bringing their 3D printers to market. “Over the next few months, we’re working to bring our technology up to a standard where it’s ready to scale, and then we’ll look at raising funding,” Lele said. “We’ve already received offers from venture capitalists and angel investors, but we’re bootstrapping until we’re ready.”
Student Leadership
In addition to advancing Convexity, Lele has plenty of other activities on his plate for his junior year, including serving as chair of the 2026 AIChE (American Institute for Chemical Engineers) Southern Conference that Georgia Tech will host in the spring. He is leading a team of 15 students to organize the event, which will bring up to 400 participants from more than 30 schools to campus.
“I always strive to do my best and not do anything halfway,” said Lele, who holds a Gossage International Enrichment Scholarship. “That’s something my parents instilled in me, and that’s the attitude I’m taking with the conference. I’m blessed to have an amazing AIChE team working on coordinating logistics, sponsorships, and programming.”
With a love of mentoring others, Lele is now a resident assistant for North Avenue Apartments as well as a teaching assistant for the Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics course taught by Associate Professor John Blazeck. As part of the latter role, Lele is leading regular problem-solving sessions to help students understand complex concepts.
“Helping other students is very rewarding,” Lele said.
Born in India and raised in Singapore, Lele was drawn to ChBE@GT after observing an environment conducive to teamwork. “The classes are tough, but we get through them together,” he said.
Research Opportunities
Lele said he was also drawn to Georgia Tech by the hands-on research culture, where more than 60 percent of undergraduates participate in research projects.
Researching faculty interests on the ChBE website led Lele to join Associate Professor Saad Bhamla’s lab, where he helped develop an ultra-low-cost electroporation device (ePen) inspired by a BBQ lighter to facilitate mRNA/DNA vaccine delivery via microneedle patches. The project, a collaboration with Professor Mark Prausnitz, aimed to expand vaccine access in low-resource areas of the world.
“Working in Dr. Bhamla’s lab really changed how I think as an engineer,” Lele said. “It taught me how powerful creativity can be when you work with limited resources and a big vision. His way of not only producing ground-breaking science but also communicating it in such engaging ways is something I use as sort of a blueprint.”
During his junior year, Lele transitioned to the Prausnitz Lab, where he is focusing on the dynamics of interstitial fluid, dissolvable microneedle patches, and hexavalent vaccines.
To gain access to research and other opportunities, Lele strongly recommends that students be proactive. “Reach out to a lot of people and talk to them,” he said. “I’ve found a lot of opportunities by taking the extra step.”
Outside of faculty labs, Lele has applied his chemical engineering knowledge as part of Georgia Tech’s Chem-E-Car team, contributing to the design and testing of reaction-powered vehicles for competition.
Professional Experience
During summer 2025, Lele completed an internship with the Duracell Company’s operation in LaGrange, Georgia, focusing on process optimization in the manufacture of batteries. The experience was a natural progression from Lele’s work on advanced graphene battery technology in fall 2024 through a Georgia Tech VIP Program apprenticeship.
“The internship was a great learning experience,” he said. “I got to drive change like actual engineers do and present my work to the chief technology officer of Duracell.”
As for the future, Lele is committed to pursuing Convexity Electronics to see where it leads, while keeping graduate school on the horizon.
“I’m keeping all doors open, while realizing that I also need to streamline and focus,” he said.