Recent Vanderbilt alumnus Nisala Kalupahana has many reasons to celebrate this year. Not only did he graduate in May, but his entrepreneurial journey with his venture, baseline, has led to his current role at Neuralink, a pioneering healthcare technology company. At Neuralink, Nisala is helping patients with quadriplegia explore new ways of controlling their computers and regaining personal autonomy. His story exemplifies the profound impact of dedicated entrepreneurship programs and a relentless pursuit of excellence.
"Nisala joins a highly selective company founded by Elon Musk that intends to restore independence in patients using a brain-computer interface", said Stryker Warren, Associate Director, Venture Development. "Truly the intersection of cutting edge technology addressing very complicated clinical presentations."
The Genesis of baseline
Nisala’s venture, baseline, is rooted in his passion for healthcare innovation. baseline focuses on developing innovative solutions to improve mental health care, specifically targeting young people and their unique health challenges. This startup became a significant part of his life, reflecting his technical prowess and commitment to making a difference in the healthcare sector. He was grateful to utilize the Wond’ry throughout his journey. "The entrepreneurship resources and skills I built at the Wond'ry have been incredibly useful. The support they provided for my venture was a major reason I was able to achieve so much," Nisala shared.
Navigating a Rigorous Interview Process
Nisala’s journey with baseline opened doors to numerous opportunities before catching the eye of Neuralink, whose application process consisted of nine intensive interviews. "I met everyone on the team during the interviews and each person was involved in the process. I talked extensively about my work with baseline, which is both healthcare relevant and technically interesting," Nisala said. He credited the skills he learned through the Wond’ry Entrepreneurship programs with helping him pitch himself and answer questions on the spot.
Currently, Nisala is transitioning to his new role as a software engineer for a lab systems team that focuses on groundbreaking work in human implants. This team is dedicated to developing and standardizing procedures for implants that can assist paraplegics and quadriplegics, giving them the ability to control computers and other devices with their minds.
Discussing his new role, Nisala expressed his excitement, "I'm really excited about the work we are doing. It's all about giving agency back to people whose abilities have been reduced. The first human implant went well, and now we are working on getting the implant to more people who need it."
As Nisala continues to make strides in his new role, his journey will undoubtedly inspire others in the healthcare sector and beyond, showcasing what can be achieved with determination, innovation, and the right support.