When Alka Lakadia x’27 arrived at UW–Madison from India as a freshman, she knew she wanted to study computer science, but she didn’t anticipate discovering her passion for entrepreneurship or that she would become a leader in creating opportunities for other women in tech at UW–Madison.
Now a junior majoring in Computer Sciences and Data Science with a minor in Entrepreneurship, Lakadia has transformed from someone experiencing culture shock to a confident founder, leader, and advocate who has built an impressive network and is working to ensure other women can do the same.
From AI curiosity to entrepreneurial action
Lakadia’s entrepreneurial journey began when she joined the Tech Exploration Lab in January 2025, marking what she calls “a turning point” in her time at UW–Madison. “I was creating cool projects, but the lab taught me to think: Is it going to matter? Is it creating a positive impact?” she explains.
That mindset shift led to DermaVision, an AI-powered teledermatology startup she co-founded in order to counter the lengthy wait times patients may deal with — on average, it can take 35 days to see a dermatologist. Working with industry mentors, Lakadia dove into unfamiliar territory — learning business models, go-to-market strategies, and revenue planning alongside her technical development.
The hard work paid off. DermaVision won second place at the Tech Exploration Lab Showcase in spring 2025, earning Lakadia an invitation to the lab’s exclusive Summer Venture Discovery Program. By fall, she had won first place in the Innovation category at the WiSys Annual Spark Symposium and was selected for the first-ever Google Gemini API Sprint in Chicago, where she was the youngest student founder
present.
“Talking to executives at Google and seeing them appreciate my work felt really good,” Lakadia says. She’s now working with MBA students to continue developing DermaVision through the lab’s Venture Build program.
Leading the charge for women in entrepreneurship
While excelling in the Tech Exploration Lab, Lakadia noticed something troubling: She and her two female co-founders were among the only women in a space dominated by men. “Tech entrepreneurship combines two male-dominated areas,” she observes. “I thought there were not enough women, and then I thought, maybe there are women who just don’t know where to go to start something of their own.”
That realization led her to co-found Women in Entrepreneurship (WE) this fall, serving as President of Innovation. After initially planning to launch her own club called “VentureHER,” she connected with Trinity Krohn, who had similar objectives, and they joined forces.
“I always wanted to have this community of women who have similar goals — where you can open up and support each other,” Lakadia explains. The response has been overwhelming: The new club already has more than 350 women on its mailing list. As co-president, Lakadia plans events and coordinates regular meetings with industry professionals, including women founders and CEOs, creating the mentorship pipeline she wishes had existed when she arrived on campus.
The club fills a crucial gap. “When it’s very male-dominated, it can be harder for women to communicate,” Lakadia says. “It’s really important to have a community where women can talk to and rely on and support each other.”
Building a network, giving back
Beyond Women in Entrepreneurship, Lakadia holds leadership positions in three other organizations: the Data Science Club (dotData), Wisconsin AI Safety Initiative (WAISI), and WACM (ACM’s UW–Madison women’s chapter). She was also selected for Microsoft’s highly selective Emerging Leaders Program from a pool of more than 1,400 applicants.
These experiences have taught her a vital lesson: “Your network is your superpower,” she says. “You need to have a good network of people around you. It’s very essential for your career.”
Lakadia has gained confidence in networking and public speaking through these roles, presenting at conferences including the DoIT IT Professionals Conference with her WAISI group. She’s also worked on AI projects through the CS SAIL Program (sponsored by OpenAI and CDIS) and conducted mobile sensing data research at the Center for Healthy Minds.
As she looks toward graduation in 2027, Lakadia aims to launch her own AI-focused company.
But regardless of where her career leads, she’s committed to advocating for women in tech entrepreneurship.
“A lot of sophomore friends come to me for advice,” she says. “I’m an international student who didn’t have any idea about the culture here, and now I’m in all these leadership positions where people look up to you — I really love giving back.”
And she credits the university with making it all possible: “I’m really grateful for UW–Madison for providing this opportunity where I can create this sort of environment and do what I’m passionate about.” For Lakadia, the work of connecting and empowering young women entrepreneurs is well underway. She says, “Every day, new AI startups are launching, and the possibilities for how organizations can leverage these tools to save resources, accelerate growth, and create meaningful impact feel limitless. It’s an incredibly exciting time to be building, learning, and helping shape what’s next.”