ACARYAX

From the coastal town of Margao, Goa, Vaibhav Vithuray Naik has carved an unconventional path in technology and education. A freelancer by profession, Vaibhav studied 3D Media and Multimedia at Chowgule College. While his academic background was rooted in creative media, his curiosity led him down a different road—into the world of coding. Without a formal computer science degree, he taught himself programming through books and YouTube tutorials, combining his creative skills with newfound technical expertise to build AcaryaX—an AI-powered chatbot designed to help students learn in their own language rather than struggling with English. He shares a deep and cherished bond with his mother, Vinita V. Naik, whose unwavering support and guidance have been a constant source of strength in every step of his journey.

The Spark of Entrepreneurship

Vaibhav’s journey as a businessman began in 2023, during the global rise of AI. While experimenting with AI tools, he noticed a gap—most online educational resources were in English, despite only around 10% of India’s population being highly proficient in the language. Even in Goa, where English is more common, he saw friends facing challenges with complex textbook terminology. This led him to a simple question: Why can’t students

learn in the language they’re most comfortable with? That question became the foun ation for AcaryaX, marking his shift from vi eo pro uction into the tech space.

AcaryaX – A Teacher for Every Student

The name AcaryaX combines “Acarya,” meaning teacher in Sanskrit, with “X,” representing the new generation of AI learning The platform’s core values are clear:

Making learning accessible to all, regar less of language, with conversational support in 13 major In ian languages—Hin i, Konkani, Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Ur u, Gujarati, Kanna a, Malayalam, Punjabi, O ia, an Sanskrit

Supporting stu ents in remote areas with slow internet connectivity

Preserving Goan culture through the use of local examples in lessons

A ressing not only aca emics but also career gui ance an mental health

Keeping the service completely free so no stu ent is exclu e .

Vaibhav’s vision is simple—every chil shoul be able to learn effectively, whether they speak English, Konkani, Hin i, or any other In ian language.

Challenges on the Road to Innovation

The early days of AcaryaX were defined by trial, error, and persistence. As a self-taught coder, Vaibhav often faced programming issues that took days to solve, relying on self-study and experimentation. Making the AI function well in Konkani required collaboration with local teachers to ensure accuracy and cultural relevance. Another hurdle was ensuring compatibility with slow internet speeds and older mobile devices, essential for rural accessibility. He overcame these challenges through determination and community support, particularly from educators who shared his vision.

Motivation Through Impact

What drives Vaibhav is the knowledge that his work empowers students who are intelligent yet held back by language barriers. Seeing students from different states benefit from Acaryax or knowing that children in remote areas can access quality education despite poor internet, keeps him motivated. Balancing the project with his career as a cameraman, every milestone feels like a meaningful achievement.

Proud Milestones

Among his proudest achievements is building AcaryaX entirely on his own, without investors or corporate backing. The platform now covers everything from basic mathematics to advanced subjects like AI and data science, delivering results on par with costly educational apps from major companies.

Innovating Beyond the Mainstream

Vaibhav’s approach to innovation is rooted in solving real-world problems. While most education platforms focus on English-speaking urban students, he targets those in villages and small towns who are often overlooked.

He incorporates teacher feedback, tracks student interactions, and adds unique features such as storytelling-based lessons, mental health check-ins, and offline-friendly content. His strategy is not to follow trends but to address needs big companies ignore.

Leadership and Collaboration

Although he is the sole operator of AcaryaX, leadership for Vaibhav means staying focused and aligned with his mission. He works closely with local teachers to verify content and ensure it meets the needs of students, especially in Konkani.

The Power of Relationships

Building trust with educators has been instrumental to AcaryaX’s success. Rather than simply seeking help, Vaibhav offered teachers a practical tool to aid their students.

His advice to aspiring entrepreneurs: build mutually beneficial relationships where your work provides value to others.

Scaling Without Losing Quality

With its multilingual design, Acar aX naturall appeals to students nationwide. To maintain qualit while scaling, Vaibhav developed a s stem that automaticall flags incorrect answers. He personall refines the AI based on real student queries, ensuring that growth improves accurac rather than diluting it

Balancing Creativity and Technology

Managing both his video production work and Acar aX can be demanding, but Vaibhav sees them as complementar . Stor telling from his media career inspires him to make educational content engaging, while technolog fuels his creative problem-solving

Advice for Aspiring ntrepreneurs

His guidance is straightforward

A degree is not a barrier—self-learning is possible with dedication

Build solutions for problems ou’ve witnessed firsthand.

Start mall and refine continuou ly a ed on u er need

Stay anchored to your mi ion, e pecially when challenge ari e.

Looking Ahead

Vai hav’ next goal i to make AcaryaX more human-like—capa le of voice conver ation and even video call with AI avatar that look and ound like real people. The e advancement , however, require ignificant computing power.

To keep AcaryaX free and acce i le, he plan to eek upport from the Government of Goa. Hi long-term vi ion i to make AcaryaX India’ fir t AI chat ot truly dedicated to local language education, en uring every tudent can learn effectively while pre erving their cultural identity.

In hi own quiet yet determined way, Vai hav Naik i proving that innovation doe n’t alway come from the igge t companie or the mo t well-funded tartup —it can al o egin in a mall Goan town, driven y one individual’ per i tence, creativity, and commitment to education for all.