Aadithyan Rajesh: Coder at 9, CEO at 13

Aadithyan Rajesh was born in Kerala. When he was 5, his dad shifted the family to Dubai. The boy is now 16, and owns tangled.ae, a learning gamification venture, Crophle, a global network of buyers and sellers of agricultural products, and Trinet Internet Solutions, a firm that makes a range of digital products from websites to apps. He also enjoys swimming, kayaking, playing drums and guitar, and learning new languages. There is no doubt that he is a wonder kid. Let’s get to know a bit more about him.  

What was the starting point for Aadithyan?  
Little Aadithyan was bored at home since he didn’t have too many friends in the Dubai neighbourhood. To keep the child occupied, his dad, Rajesh Nair, introduced him to BBC Typing, a website where young children can learn typing. Rajesh has been quoted reminiscing, "I was six years old, and would spend a lot of time on YouTube, reading, cartoons, and playing spelling bee games. I began to become fascinated with computers and technology." By the time he was 9, he was a coder. He began uploading mobile apps on Aptoide, an alternative marketplace for Android mobile apps. He even developed a search engine called 'Ashirwad browser'. However, Google Play Store required a base fee of USD 25 to upload it, so the boy’s app couldn’t go live.  

Which was Aadithyan’s first company? 
In December 2017, 9 year old Aadithyan floated Trinet Solutions with 3 employees, who were kids like him from school. Together, they worked on multiple projects, developing Android apps, building websites, growing the business and also helping people. In 2018, when his family was affected by the Kerala floods, Aadithyan used his YouTube channel to raise contributions for the government of Kerala’s distress relief fund. In 2019, he developed an app that matches blood donors with those in need of transfusion. His favourite project was a scheduling app that he built for his teachers.  

Who is Aadithyan’s inspiration?  
Not surprisingly, it’s Mark Zuckerberg. His dad had told the 6 year old that if he learns well, he may build something fascinating like Facebook. Best of luck, Aadithyan!