Meet the Founder: Abhi Kothapalli
While many students explore medicine by shadowing physicians, Abhi Kothapalli took a different path; one rooted in systems thinking, innovation, and action.
While many students begin their journey into medicine by shadowing physicians a valuable and time-honored path Abhi Kothapalli found himself drawn to a complementary approach: one rooted in systems thinking, innovation, and early action.
During a high school internship at Medical-X, a Netherlands-based medical simulation company, Abhi was introduced to the role of simulation in clinical training. What stood out to him was not only the technology itself, but the deeper issue it could help address: preventable medical errors. Often cited as one of the leading causes of death in the United States, these errors frequently stem from communication breakdowns, training gaps, and systemic fatigue. For Abhi, this was more than a statistic; it was a call to action.
Rather than waiting until medical school to contribute, Abhi launched Sim4Impact, a student-led initiative that brings hands-on medical simulation to high schools, colleges, and communities. His goal is to help students build clinical awareness, strengthen teamwork under pressure, and understand the systems that shape patient safety early in their educational journey. Since its founding, Sim4Impact has reached hundreds of students across the U.S. and is now expanding internationally.
Abhi is also honored to be contributing to a maternal health initiative in Nigeria, where he is working under the guidance and mentorship of a physician and social entrepreneur to develop AI-powered tools that support safer pregnancies and reduce preventable maternal deaths. This work reinforces his belief that innovation must be grounded in empathy—and that advancing global health equity begins with listening, collaboration, and culturally responsive solutions.
In parallel, Abhi founded BIPS (Brain Impact Protection Services), a concussion detection startup focused on protecting student-athletes in contact sports. The team developed a smart mouthguard that monitors head impacts in real time, helping coaches, parents, and athletes make informed decisions about safety. The venture advanced to the semifinals of the TiE Young Entrepreneurs competition at Microsoft and was selected as one of three winning teams at the Stanford Entrepreneurial Olympiad, earning $8,000 in micro-seed funding to continue development. Learn more at GoBIPS.com
Abhi has participated in the Stanford Entrepreneurial Olympiad, the Harvard Ventures Tech Program, and the University of Washington’s REACH neuroscience program, where he explored the brain through hands-on labs and collaborative research. Abhi is actively engaged in conversations around youth leadership, healthcare innovation, and systems change and welcomes opportunities to speak and collaborate at national and international forums.
His work reflects a deep commitment to empathy, a sense of purpose, and a belief that students have a meaningful role to play in shaping the future of healthcare.
"Preparing for medicine isn’t just about the future; it’s about improving the system we depend on today. Because patient safety can’t be an afterthought.”
Abhi Kothapalli, Founder of Sim4Impact