00:00Welcome back ladies and gentlemen. Now in the times of a debate on screen time, a lot of tragic news
00:06coming in from across the world, the difficult days that we all seem to be living in.
00:11There is hope as well, hope of genius, curiosity and to ensure that something can be achieved even when you're
00:18officially not an adult.
00:20Joining me now is a special guest on this telecast. She's an entrepreneur, her name is Mana Jampala and she's
00:28all of 12 years old.
00:30Mana, thank you for joining us here on the 4pm bulletin on India today. Tell me about this AI startup
00:37that you founded that is making waves, that's going global. What is it about?
00:44Yeah, so Voxa is basically voice agents and receptionists for small businesses to medium sized businesses. It answers calls and
00:55it automates and integrates with other tools and it helps businesses not miss revenue and save time.
01:02So what, I'm curious here, what got you interested as a 12 year old? Usually that's an age group that's
01:08busy with homework, schoolwork, just meeting friends. What is it that got you interested in something beyond that? I believe
01:14you even started learning Python from what, nine years of age?
01:20Yeah, so ever since I was little, I've been super interested in business, especially technology. And my parents have also
01:27been like super supportive. They sent me to like technology camps and stuff like that at local universities that kind
01:33of sparked my interest.
01:34I started learning basic Python when I was like nine, I went to classes and stuff. And then, yeah, so
01:41I've, I'd had like a bit of technology exposure.
01:45And when I was 11, I went to my dad's office, he works at a biotech company, and they were
01:51missing calls, like a lot. So they would get calls from nurseries ordering their plants. But when they missed the
01:58call, that would mean lots of revenue just like disappearing. So when I saw that I built a basic version
02:03of Voxa to solve that.
02:06I think that's fascinating. I think that's fascinating. Amid, all of this, when we, when I was researching about what
02:12you've been able to achieve, the big debate that came to my mind was, but isn't the whole issue of
02:19don't give screen time to children, don't let them watch too much mobile, iPad, or even television. So what would
02:27be your advice? How did you manage to use your screen time properly, appropriately?
02:34Yeah, I actually think it's how we use it. Because there's a difference between doom scrolling YouTube and like learning
02:42stuff. So if you're, you're a teenager or like a tween like me, and you're using technology to teach yourself
02:49AI, connect with fellow entrepreneurs, and, you know, using it to enhance your brain instead of like replace it, I
02:57think that's a good use for technology rather than just like consuming everything.
03:01But tell me, are you the one who breaks deals with the clients? Because do you get surprised reactions when
03:07you call up someone and want to fix a deal and, and they realize that you're all of 12 years
03:11of age?
03:15Um, yeah, when I walked in into local businesses to pitch them to use Vox, they were very hesitant because
03:22of my age, they would ask questions like, wait, how old are you? And like, do you have a parent
03:26helping you out with this? So that was a pretty big hurdle. But after reaching out to businesses over, like
03:33online, that kind of kind of like that minimized that skepticism a little bit.
03:38Maana, has anyone inspired you as well in these years that that you've started to look at tech and innovations?
03:51Um, someone who's inspired me? Well, when I was little, I read like biographies of Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Mark
03:59Zuckerberg ever since I was like, seven or so. So those people really inspired me like how Mark Zuckerberg started
04:05Facebook in his college dorm, that was like, really interesting. And I think it just pushed me to take the
04:11dive even sooner. So yeah, I'm curious
04:15what is here, Maana, that what is a daily day for a 12 year old like you? You're a founder
04:20already, you've achieved so much. I see musical instruments, I think that's a violin behind you. What is a daily
04:26day like for you? What about school? Homework? How are you managing everything at this age?
04:32Uh, well, it's pretty chill, actually, I have two little siblings. And like, because I don't do school, I just
04:38like wake up at like eight and just, you know, work on my startup and go for walks, practice soccer,
04:45and do my art, art homework. It's like pretty, I have like a pretty normal life of a 12 year
04:51old, if you look at it, like from a normal lens. So yeah.
04:55I also understand here for the viewer wondering right now, when she says not going to school, it actually means
05:00an e-school that she's been a part of. And so there are, there is studies, there are education there,
05:06but they're using these different alternatives that come with it. That's the beauty and that's in Canada. Also, Maana, then
05:13my final question is, while you're residing abroad right now, you've already been in touch with Canada, India, US, UK,
05:20other countries as well with your startup founder.
05:22But how are reactions back home in India? Which state is your family from? Have you been visiting India? What
05:30are the reactions that you're getting from people who know you or relatives around or back here, back home in
05:34India?
05:38Yeah, so my family is from Andhra Pradesh. That's where my mom and dad are from. So after my Business
05:45Insider article got picked up by the Times of India and Economic Times, it was also in the local newspaper.
05:51And I started getting messages from my relatives. And like, it was pretty funny. And it was kind of unreal
05:56for us for like a few days. But yeah.
06:00All right. Well done. Keep up with your confidence. I'm sure you're telling many parents who support, like the parents
06:06supporting you in this journey, that for a 12 year old, screen time tech can be of good hope, can
06:12result in a lot of achievements. All of 12 years of age, Mana Jampala joining me from British Columbia. Appreciate
06:18you joining us, looking ahead for what future has in store for you. Mana, thank you very much for speaking
06:23to India today.
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