At just 16, junior Sarthak Pal-Mahajan founded an internship platform, Klinn, which has amassed over 22,000 users around the world. 

The journey from its conception to its full implementation has been long.  The idea was formed when Pal-Mahajan and his cousin decided that they wanted to solve a problem. 

“After we interviewed a student from GSU, we learned how difficult it was to find clinical experience and decided to create an easy way to reach out to clinics,” said Pal-Mahajan. 

He began to develop this idea, going through multiple trials and adapting as he worked. Eventually, his side project evolved into a startup where he began to earn money.Throughout the process, he has capitalized on certain values and skills in order to stay motivated.

“Learning not to care about what others think has been really important,” said Pal-Mahajan. “If you’re too conscious about what others think of you and fear being judged, it is impossible to succeed; I had to get over my fear of being perceived as ‘weird’ or looking stupid.”

Pal-Mahajan expressed satisfaction with Klinn’s progress, but believes there is still room for growth. 

“Users don’t mean that much if you aren’t able to convert and retain them as paid customers,” said Pal-Mahajan. “I can, however, confidently say that we have helped students find and secure internships, which will always make me happy, no matter the number.”

Pal-Mahajan’s devotion to KIinn and its growth gives hope for other students’ success in earning scholarships and pursuing their passions.

Today, the scholarship-helper Klinn has over 20,000 student users and has access to over 11,000 clinics, 1500 professors, and 1000 startups. It is used by students from at least 10 schools, including the University of Pennsylvania, University of Maryland, University of California Los Angeles, and Stanford University. 

Pal-Mahajan’s hard work sets an example for other students interested in pursuing their interests. Pal-Mahajan recommended that other Poolesville students not wait to take a chance.

“As high schoolers, there is quite literally no better time to start chasing your dreams,” said Pal-Mahajan. 

Pal-Mahajan’s efforts in Klinn continue to be a positive influence for Poolesville students. Bryan Yung has been a close friend of Sarthak, which is why he didn’t hesitate when Sarthak asked him to review Klinn. Seeing the early stages of the project, he immediately recognized its promise. 

“My initial impressions were that his project had a lot of potential… when he showed me his project it was in a very early stage so it was extremely impressive,” Yung said.

As the creator of an educational app, Yung viewed Klinn through a developer’s lens. Runway Mobile, Yung’s app, helps its users learn about a multitude of subjects, while still being fun.

“As a creator/dev myself it put into perspective how much work went into creating Klinn,” said Yung. “It only served to make my impression of the project more impressive.” 

His biggest piece of advice centered on growth.

“It’s always harder to get a product out to people than to actually make the product,” continued Yung. “But I think with smart and hard work anything is possible.”