Carnegie Mellon University

Vijeyta Aggarwal standing in front of a white background with red crosses on it

August 12, 2024

INI Alum Vijeyta Aggarwal Joins the VentureBridge Program to Propel her Startup Forward

By Evan Lybrand

INI Communications

Information Networking Institute (INI) alum and startup founder Vijeyta Aggarwal was excited about the possibilities when she heard the news that her startup Vectro was selected to join the 2024 cohort of the VentureBridge program. “We are still so early in our journey,” Aggarwal shared as we spoke with her about this opportunity. “Their backing will go a long way for the company. This opens a lot of doors as an entrepreneur in technology.” 

The VentureBridge program is a Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship initiative to support CMU alumni entrepreneurial ventures. By providing $25,000 in seed funding, mentorship and other resources, VentureBridge gives early-stage startups the tools they need to succeed in a highly competitive environment.  

A Background in Strong Technical Knowledge

Aggarwal, who graduated in 2006 from the Master of Science in Information Networking (MSIN) program, has always had a passion for technology.  

She recalled developing an interest in technology as a child. “My dad used to run an electronics shop, which exposed me to the Macintosh very early. I loved seeing him tinker with the hardware, and I was always curious about what he was building,” she remembered. “My first exposure to programming was in fifth grade in school where I was learning Basic, and I went on to learn C and Java in high school.” 

After graduating from a college in India and with encouragement from her parents, Aggarwal attended the INI to develop her skills in a holistic curriculum that allows students to explore a wealth of course options in technology and business. Through the global network fostered by the INI, Aggarwal went on to build security products at Microsoft following her graduation.  

“The type of people the INI attracts the student body and the faculty have had a significant impact on me,” she said. “You are in an environment where you are going to learn and be challenged. I made a number of friends and I am still in touch with many of them.” 

Beyond her fellow students, she also mentioned several faculty members who impacted her journey including Priya Narasimhan, Mahadev Satyanarayanan, Jeffrey Eppinger and David Lamont. 

Building Vectro with Industry Expereince

Following her role at Microsoft, Aggarwal went on to build several zero to one, or completely original, products at Hippo, Guidewire and PayPal, many of which became multi-million-dollar products. Aggarwal then pulled from the lessons learned at the INI and her professional experience to start her own company, Vectro. Vectro is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool designed to improve sales efficiency and maintain a consistent sales process by aggregating data on sales interactions. 

“For organizations with large teams of sellers, it's imperative to stay close to customers and understand how you can improve your top line by making the sales process consistent,” she said. “We give bespoke insights using artificial intelligence. We also have a platform that can essentially plug into any data source or software that companies have to give these insights.” 

With the resources and support provided by the VentureBridge program, Aggarwal will continue to grow and develop her startup. It also connects her with an invaluable network of CMU alumni around the globe, a network that Aggarwal was first connected to through the INI. “The great thing about the INI is that the program gives you lifelong friends and access to a vibrant alumni community,” she said. 

Finally, she shared advice for recent graduates: “Try hard, try different things and get a sense of what you’re good at.” And for those interested in entrepreneurship she added, “It’s about understanding the problem you’re solving for your customer, the size of the market, the trends and what differentiates you. So, pick something that you’re good at, and be prepared — it's an adventure.”