Dev Sharma

Incoming Summer 2026

1 of 90 selected UIUC participants

• Designed and pitched a 4-week AI assistive technology pilot for CAD design courses to Gies department leadership • Conducted cross-functional interviews to assess CAD usage patterns, furthering user-validated solution discovery • Proposed AI affordances (Sketch-to-3D, automated feedback, parameter tuning) by synthesizing team research • Drafted and refined a research report and final presentation outlining AI solution patterns and pilot integration

• Strategized North American mid-market entry for a B2B Latin American agentic AI automation company • Synthesized extensive research into concise presentations and clarified client needs in meetings to focus findings • Conducted a comprehensive North American mid-market economic analysis on revenue trends, executive investment behavior, trade volatility, and AI adoption gaps to map client positioning strategies across market scenarios • Guided the design of an executive-level mid-market survey by targeting key pain points from secondary research • Researched, calculated, and compared costs and ROI of B2B marketing channels to maximize client’s reach

Building the future of eyewear. Youngest on a founding team of 12 multi-disciplinary builders from across the US—spanning CS, Operations, Optometry, Manufacturing, and Design.

• Streamlined resource consolidation and community assistance for Q'anjob'al-speaking immigrants through Jila • Designed Jila's app user journeys on Figma, built consumer-targeted marketing strategies, and researched national expansion opportunities • Secured Jila's first financial sponsorships by communicating with 15+ potential partners • Presented Jila's long-term scalability, app demo, and financial projections at the Cozad New Venture Challenge, gaining interest from 20+ investors and judges

• 1 of 17 members accepted from 400+ applicants to build enterprises enacting social, environmental, and economic impact across Urbana-Champaign • Developed the business model, pricing structure, and feature breakdown for a digital learning platform called EmpowerEd, enabling young adults with Down Syndrome to gain skills of independence • Conducted rigorous market sizing and user persona analysis through primary and secondary research iteration

Motive: Transforming corporate social responsibility with emotion and youth-led community interaction • Selected as one of the world's 100 leading organizations facilitating the UN SDGs by the United Nations Volunteer Groups Alliance • Pitch youth-led, immersion-based CSR strategy, securing 28 partners (UN, Tata, World Relief, etc.) • Spearhead logistics and distribution of $92,200+ of sustainable essentials to 8,005+ individuals in six nations • Conducted supply gap analysis in Jamshedpur, India, pitched findings to India’s largest conglomerate (Tata), and transformed health for 1,050+ lives by implementing water cooling systems with immersion-based CSR strategy • Gained recognition from George H.W. Bush Points of Light Foundation, Humanity Rising, and IL Rep. Syed • Advanced learning for 855+ K-8 refugees through immersive AI career simulations, supplied hundreds across ages in India with cool water for years, tracked memory improvement through art for seniors with dementia, etc. • Raised $7,010+ to establish an International Sustainability and Education Program (RISEP) in India in partnership with the TATA Education Excellence Program • Uplifted 5,350+ lives by mobilizing $50,000+ worth of food, books, clothing, and sustainable resources through four drives and 14+ partnerships • Leveraged interaction, art, and emotion to break boundaries, uniting 663+ young leaders and establishing four global branches to create Raksha’s devoted community

Motive: Uplifting unconventional stories as the new faces of Indian fashion. • Conduct market and inventory analysis to generate $25,000 in revenue and a 20,000 reach from design collections • Oversee a global manufacturing chain (7 tailors & 5 manufacturers) after negotiating with 25+ potential partners • Build financial statements from course experience while investing in CSR with the Raksha Foundation • Manage photography, editing, and branding and independently built website, securing bridal bookings and interest from 300 potential customers • Utilize digital design and sketching platforms to craft 30+ intricate and size-inclusive South Asian designs • Worked with impactful global organizations and initiatives (Tata's Education Excellence Program, Raksha Foundation, etc.) to fund programs for community interaction-based CSR strategy

Hosted Emmy Award, Forbes 30 Under 30, and Pulitzer Prize-winning speakers for campus-wide conferences, facilitating outreach and sales to attract 107+ attendees from across Illinois.

Identifying gaps in student-led startups and devising novel solutions at UIUC’s leading entrepreneurship organization.

Early Career Programs: 2026 PwC Future Focus Program, 2026 Expedition EY, 2026 McKinsey.org Forward Program, 2026 CVS Health Career Readiness Program Involvements: 2026 L'Oréal BrandStorm Competition, 2026 Capital One + Consult For America Competition, Spring 2026 Crowe National Case Competition, 2026 Gies AI For Impact Challenge, Keywords AI Hackathon

Kolze Academic Scholar | Illinois State Scholar | 8-Semester Honor Roll | National Honors Society | School-wide Literary Contest Winner (Published in magazine) Leadership: - Co-President (Cultural Awareness Club) - Co-Chief Editor of Graphics & Photography (Viking Logue - School Newspaper) - Leadership Team (Student Council)

Courses: ~ Business Management ~ Business Incubator ~ Accounting I - Financial ~ Spanish 4