KARA YC S26
Founding engineer at KARA, a Y Combinator company (S26). I build the AI optimization layer for semiconductor manufacturing and research Microwave Plasma CVD diamond growth, the material platform behind next-generation chips.
Welcome
Soham Jariwala
Founding Engineer at KARA (YC S26).
Co-founder and CEO of Jewel Labs.
Student @ Cornell University.
I build AI and blockchain infrastructure for the physical economy: the diamond and rare-metal trade, jewelry, and the private equity that moves it. Cornell computer science, quantum photonics research at Carnegie Mellon, published AI Crop Health work, and product shipped to operators across India, Hong Kong, Dubai, New York, and Los Angeles.
What I am building
Companies in motion.
Jewel Labs Agentic AI infrastructure Top 10% YC APPLICATIONS
Co-founder and CEO of Jewel Labs, building agentic AI infrastructure to restructure the global rare-metal, jewelry, and diamond trade. It ranked in the top 10% of Y Combinator applications. Jewel Labs builds fine-tuned models for Fortune 500 houses and global leaders: diamond planning and cutting optimization, AI storefronts, smart CRM, mainly compliance and DDS automation, and diamond data licensing. Clients include DiamondPlugLA, PalakDiam, and Indriya across India, Hong Kong, Dubai, New York, Los Angeles, and Thailand.
KOOV
CIO at KOOV, an AI company working with major names in Indian finance and industry, including JM Financial in private equity, Go Cheese, and BDR Pharma, plus construction and metals clients across the United States. Backed by angels from G-Fellows and Cornell Commons.
504 Found Forbes 30 Under 30
A nonprofit that pairs school districts across the United States with student mentors, supporting students on IEPs and 504 plans with time management and academic skills. Recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. I build outreach systems as CXO.
PostMax Live on App Store
An AI social-media analytics app for creators that scores and optimizes post performance from engagement data. I led product strategy, growth, and feature direction.
YC S26
Founding engineer at a Y Combinator company
2,000+
Views on published IEEE research
Forbes 30 Under 30
504 Found, our nonprofit, was recognized on the list.
Fortune 500
Companies among Jewel Labs' clients
Research
Putting diamonds on-chain.
On-Chain Diamond Provenance CMU
Research on integrated quantum photonics for NV-center-based fingerprinting of diamonds, toward blockchain-anchored anti-counterfeiting and provenance verification. I build the machine-learning models that turn each stone's photonic fingerprint into identity that cannot be cloned or backdated.
Fintech and Quantitative Research Haas
Fintech and quantitative research with an undergraduate team at the Haas School of Business, modeling how fintech firms and geopolitical shifts move global markets. Built the Python and R analysis behind global-trading strategy work.
A CNN Approach to Robust Crop Health Monitoring Published
A convolutional neural network that diagnoses crop disease from images, which I built and trained with GPU acceleration and deployed at a local farm to lift yield through early detection. Published on IEEE's preprint platform with over 2,000 views and 100 downloads, and recognized with Technical Excellence awards from CREST Gold and IRIS.
Experience
Where I learned the trades.
Pharmaceutical Chemistry Research
Researched candidate drug compounds under a senior lab specialist, evaluating chemistries with near-term clinical potential. Studied carbon-based carriers, including nanodiamond platforms, for targeted drug delivery.
Technical and Financial Due Diligence
Worked with the Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) team on data-driven technical and financial due diligence, analyzing large deal datasets to derive the insights behind client recommendations. Trained AI models to deliver quality feedback across engagements.
Growth for a Watch House
Ran digital marketing and social for a Hong Kong watch company, across PR, ad campaigns, and both front-end and back-end web work to lift reach and conversion.
AI Agents for the Diamond Desk
At a Los Angeles diamond startup, I consulted for international stakeholders, using deep learning on historical sales data to tighten lab-grown diamond supply chains, predict design trends, and price B2B orders across Hong Kong, UAE, and LA, securing over 10 high-value orders.
The Diamond Trade, Hands On
Sold natural and lab-grown diamonds, including CVD and HPHT goods, and priced parcels for firms across Hong Kong, Mumbai, Dubai, Bangkok, and Los Angeles. The trade Jewel Labs now builds for, learned at the desk.
Client Acquisition, End to End
Ran cold-outreach client acquisition, from lead generation to automated follow-up, contributing to closed deals with Genentech and Porsche.
AI for Policy and Compliance
Combined legal and technical work: built AI models to analyze large case datasets, predict legislative trends, and author reports on fintech policy and inclusivity. Focused on compliance frameworks aligned with G7 regulatory standards.
Full-Stack AI and Computer Vision
Built full-stack AI in Python with Django, Flask, NumPy, and Pandas: face-following drone navigation, CIFAR-10 image recognition on 60,000 images, and pathfinding for robotics, across Python, C, and Java. Around 30 programs in total.
Earlier building
Founded and shipped before college.
Youth Environmental Action
Founded a tech-enabled environmental policy initiative in peri-urban India. Built machine-learning diagnostics to estimate regional air quality and model mitigation for pollution hotspots, plus digital hubs linking stakeholders with policymakers.
Carbon Footprint Calculator Published on Amazon
A cross-platform app that recognizes vehicles, predicts their emissions, and calculates the tree-planting offset for carbon neutrality, with a carbon-credit score built for future trading. Published on Amazon, with a donation funnel that raised over $700.
About
The thread through everything is the same: take intelligence that works in a notebook and put it to work where money and materials actually move.
I study AI at Cornell. I have sold diamonds across Hong Kong, Dubai, and Los Angeles, priced parcels for the trade, analyzed private-equity and trading data at Berkeley Haas, published computer-vision research that runs on a working farm, and shipped an app to the App Store.
Now I build AI and blockchain infrastructure for the trades I grew up around. That means Jewel Labs for the rare-metal and diamond world, founding engineering at KARA, information strategy at KOOV, and research at Carnegie Mellon on putting a diamond's physical fingerprint on-chain so it can never be cloned or backdated. I like problems where the model has to survive contact with a real operator, a real supply chain, and a real invoice.
Away from the screen: cricket, football, chess, and watches.
Recognition and education
The record behind the work.
Education
Cornell University
B.A. Computer Science and Economics, College of Arts and Sciences
Ithaca, New York · Expected 2029
Fazlani L’Académie Globale
CAIE A-Levels. Straight A* in Computer Science, Physics, and Mathematics. 4.0 GPA, Valedictorian
2021 to 2025
Honors
- Y Combinator, S26Founding engineer at KARA
- Forbes 30 Under 30504 Found, the nonprofit I served as CXO
- International Olympiad MedalistPIMSO, IOCSEA, CEMC Hypatia, AMC 12
- Technical Excellence, CREST Gold and IRISFor the deployed CNN research
- Valedictorian and School TopperPerfect 4.0, Cambridge A-Levels and IGCSE
Coursework and certifications
How I keep sharpening.
Cornell coursework
Discrete Structures
Discrete Mathematics
OOP and Data Structures
Microeconomics
Calculus
Technology Writing
Computer science and AI
CS50, Introduction to Computer Science HarvardX
Pre-College Program USC
AI Scholars Veritas AI x Harvard
Security and systems
Full Web Ethical Hacking Udemy
Network Hacking, Intermediate to Advanced Udemy
Learn Ethical Hacking From Scratch Udemy
Social Engineering From Scratch Udemy
Robotics, Electricity and Electronics Udemy
Web, product, and policy
Responsive Web Development, HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript Udemy
Act on Climate University of Michigan
Health Equity and Environmental Justice University of Michigan
Capabilities
What I work with.
EngineeringPython, Java, C, R, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Visual Basic
AI and visionConvolutional neural networks, image recognition, GPU-accelerated training, deep learning, NLP
BlockchainOn-chain provenance, tokenizing physical assets, tamper-evident records
Data and frameworksDjango, Flask, NumPy, Pandas, Android Studio
QuantitativeProbability, statistics, regression, time-series forecasting, hypothesis testing
DomainDiamond and rare-metal trade, private equity, go-to-market and outreach
LanguagesEnglish (native); Hindi, Farsi, Marathi, Gujarati (fluent); French (working)
InterestsCricket, football, chess, and watches
Contact
Let’s build something.
The fastest way to reach me is a 15-minute call or an email. I reply to founders, investors, and operators.
CONNECT
Email
soj5@cornell.edu
Phone
+1 (607) 262-9989
LinkedIn
in/soham-jariwala
Resume
Download resume (PDF)