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India-born engineer Saisri Akondi’s startup targets diabetic foot complications
Akondi, a Stanford Knight-Hennessy Scholar, also aims to support immigrant startup founders.
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Pranavi Sharma - Tue, 27, May 2025
- 03:00 EDT
- 16
Saisri Akondi. / Carnegie Mellon University
Saisri Akondi, an India-born engineer who studied biomedical engineering at Manipal Institute of Technology, is tackling a widespread problem in diabetic care through her startup, D.Sole, which she launched at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). The startup makes a smart insole designed to catch early signs of foot complications in diabetic patients.
Akondi told CMU that her work is motivated by childhood memories of playing hopscotch with her grandfather, who later lost both feet to diabetic amputations. “When he lost both feet to diabetic amputations, she made it her mission to help others avoid a similar fate,” she said.
To do that, Akondi immersed herself in the study of peripheral neuropathy, focusing on early detection tools. She learned that nearly 34 percent of diabetic patients develop foot complications, which can lead to ulcers and, in many cases, amputations. “This not only impacts the patient’s quality of life but also imposes a significant cost burden on hospital systems,” she told CMU.
After completing her undergraduate studies in India, Akondi moved to the U.S. to join CMU’s Master of Integrated Innovation for Products and Services (MIIPS) program. She credits Dave Mawhinney, founding executive director of the Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship, for encouraging her to pursue her startup goals at CMU.
At CMU, Akondi developed D.Sole, a smart insole embedded with multimodal sensors that monitor foot biomechanics and issue early warnings for complications like ulcers and infections. Winning the McGinnis Venture Competition in 2023 helped her gain visibility and investment support.
“As an engineer, I initially struggled to grasp a business or design perspective,” she told CMU. “The MIIPS program helped me understand and practice managing people, teaching me to put myself in someone else’s shoes. The biggest lesson in building my company has been that technology is not hard. People management is.”
D.Sole is now collaborating with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, where the product is being evaluated for use with diabetic patients, particularly among veterans. Akondi also hopes to partner with Stanford Medical School’s diabetic foot clinic to gather clinical data.
Her work has earned national recognition. Akondi has been selected as a Stanford Knight-Hennessy Scholar, a highly competitive program that will support her next phase of education and leadership development.
ALSO READ: Indian-origin students named Knight-Hennessy scholars at Stanford University
“Starting a company can be such a lonely journey. You need direction and, at the same time, advice from people who have done this before,” she said. “When I look back, I feel the big difference-maker in my company’s success was coming to Carnegie Mellon.”
Mawhinney praised Akondi’s achievements. “We are incredibly proud of Saisri for being awarded the prestigious Stanford Knight-Hennessy Scholarship. This recognition is a testament to her exceptional talent and commitment and to the entrepreneurial spirit we foster at the Swartz Center,” he told CMU. “Our community aims to nurture leaders who are poised to make significant contributions on a global scale, and we look forward to Saisri's continued success and the positive change she brings to the field of health care.”
As she prepares to join the Knight-Hennessy community, Akondi plans to share her experience building a startup as an immigrant navigating the U.S. health care system. She also hopes to help others understand how to refine business models, find product-market fit, and make sure their products meet real needs.
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