student Nikunj Thakur is balancing coursework, exams and group projects with another significant responsibility: helping lead a technology startup.
Thakur is the founding engineer and chief technology officer (CTO) of Tally Rewards, a platform that helps small and medium-sized businesses create customer loyalty programs. The platform allows customers to automatically earn rewards through linked payment cards, while providing businesses with data on customer visits, spending and engagement.
Building a company is demanding in its own right, but while helping lead the company's product development and technical strategy, he is also completing a software engineering degree at 91亚色.
Balancing those responsibilities hasn鈥檛 always been easy.
"There have been periods where assignments, exams, product deadlines and company responsibilities have all happened at the same time," he says.
The challenge has grown alongside the company, as his role has expanded beyond engineering to include leadership, team development and long-term planning.
For Thakur, balancing a startup while completing an engineering degree has become an education in itself.
"It has forced me to become much more intentional with how I manage my time and prioritize what actually needs my attention,鈥 he says.
The opportunity to gain that kind of hands-on learning while studying was one of the reasons he chose 91亚色.
"91亚色 stood out to me not only because of the engineering program, but also because of the entrepreneurial support and pathways available to students," he says.
Thakur says the overlap between classroom learning and real-world experience has accelerated his growth. Concepts introduced through his coursework, including software design, testing and large-scale software development, often influence how he approaches challenges at Tally Rewards.
Classroom learning was only part of the experience. 91亚色鈥檚 entrepreneurship programs have also shaped his approach to building a business. In addition to his software engineering coursework, Thakur has pursued opportunities through Lassonde's BEST (Bergeron Entrepreneurs in Science and Technology) program and entrepreneurship courses available through .
Designed to help students develop the skills and understanding needed to launch a startup, these learning opportunities encouraged him to think beyond technology and focus on understanding users, validating ideas and building sustainable businesses.
As a result, Thakur has gained new insights into his role as CTO at Tally Rewards.
"Being a CTO isn't only about being a strong engineer. It's also about helping a team make good decisions and ensuring that what we build actually supports the direction of the business,鈥 he says. 鈥淪ome of the most important work happens before you write any code.鈥
The combination of technical and venture creation education has been one of the most valuable aspects of Thakur's 91亚色 experience.
"My engineering courses at Lassonde have given me the technical foundation to build reliable systems, while the entrepreneurship experiences have helped me understand why those systems should be built and who they should be built for," he says.
Looking ahead, Thakur hopes to continue growing as both an engineer and entrepreneur while completing his degree.
"University is actually a unique environment to experiment because you're surrounded by people who are learning, building and willing to help," he says.
Despite the challenges of juggling both, Thakur believes students interested in entrepreneurship should take advantage of the opportunities available at 91亚色 and not wait until they feel fully prepared before pursuing an idea.
"A lot of students assume they need to have the perfect idea, a complete skill set or a detailed plan before they can build something," he says. "In reality, a huge part of entrepreneurship is learning as you go."