Kaitlyn Gomez
At 16, Prakshal’s iPad app impressed visiting Apple reps, earning his boarding school the title of Apple Distinguished School.
From having his iPad confiscated for building apps instead of memorizing books in a strict Indian boarding school to being approached by NVIDIA’s VP of Automotive for a potential collaboration, Prakshal Jain’s story is one of relentless vision, technical brilliance, and fearless reinvention. Jain discusses how his early interest in technology developed into a career in human-centered AR applications, and how his current work contributes to the evolving field of experiential retail.
Q: How did your interest in technology begin?
Jain: It started when I was around eight. My uncle gave me a remote-controlled car, and instead of just playing around with it, I opened it up to understand how it worked. I became interested in how machines and electronics function. Over time, that curiosity developed into regular tinkering with small devices and kits at home.
Q: What challenges did you face while pursuing your interests in school?
Jain: I grew up in a fairly structured educational environment. My boarding school didn’t support any hands-on experimentation at all. At one point, my iPad was confiscated because I was caught building an app instead of reading the test preparation material. Still, I found ways to continue building—using whatever tools were available, including presentation software and basic coding skills. I spent a lot of time learning programming languages to build beautiful user interfaces independently.
Q: What led you to move from India to the United States?
Jain: I wanted to pursue studies in an environment that emphasized open-mindset to listening to ideas, problem-solving, and innovation. Against the will of my boarding school, I prepared for the SAT and applied to universities in the U.S. Eventually, I was accepted to the University at Buffalo with a great scholarship, where I studied computer science and later graduated summa cum laude and as a scholar of Tau Beta Pi.
Q: What were some of the projects you worked on during your time at university?
Jain: I worked on several tools and platforms that addressed everyday problems. Zeal was a team-matching platform based on skills and personality types using AI and MBTI standards. Reactive was an open-source video editor used today by thousands of individuals, startups and universities. I also built Continuity, a browser that allows users to sync tabs across devices and was the first in the industry to use an AI agent for search results. These projects helped me improve my skills in product development, programming, and leadership.
Q: How did you get started working on immersive technologies?
Jain: While working at my job at a leading tech company, I was on a team mostly fixing bugs, debugging, and building interfaces that didn’t excite me. At the same time, I could see the world changing around me. AI companies were taking off, and AR/VR tech was advancing rapidly. I started feeling discomfort in my comfort zone and eventually decided to pull the trigger and switch teams. I joined an infrastructure team where I supported AI initiatives and helped build core components of AR/VR experiences for millions of users. Some of the work I contributed to was later featured at a major global developer conference in 2024.
Q: What inspired you to create Chimera?
Prakshal’s passion for high-performance automobiles and cutting-edge technology
Jain: I grew up watching movies about supercars and sketching my dream cars. After watching the Ferrari movie, I wanted to experience sitting in the supercar. So, I started building a prototype for an AR/VR automotive experience. When I eventually visited a Porsche dealership and saw a client struggling with a traditional 2D configurator, which helped me realize that this is the perfect application of my innovation. That’s how the idea for Chimera came about.
Q: How has Chimera developed since its early days?
Jain: I have been building the product in vacuum by myself for 1.5 years. Starting January 2025, I started contacting a number of dealerships to get feedback. After some initial rejections, a few began to express interest and even started inviting me to showcase Chimera at their exclusive events. Since then, Chimera has been piloted by dealerships and several events representing brands including Lamborghini, Aston Martin, and Lotus. I’ve also filed a U.S. patent and started talking about collaborations with well known advisors and tech companies like Apple and NVIDIA in the AI and extended reality (XR) field.
Q: What are your plans for Chimera going forward?
Jain: My mission is to revolutionize the luxury industry’s buying experience. The buying process needs to be as good as the products. Currently, we’re focused on making product visualization and configuration in high-end automotive retail more interactive and accurate for a high-touch buying experience. Soon, we’ll expand to other sectors including Private Jets, Yachts, Jewelry, Clothing, and so on.
Q: What continues to motivate your work in this space?
Jain: I’ve always been drawn to the intersection of emotion and design. Luxury, to me, isn’t just about price, it’s about how something makes you feel. That fascination probably started early, shaped in part by my mother, who’s a psychiatrist. I became deeply curious about what moves people, what captures their imagination. I believe the true value of a product lies in the care, intention, and soul you pour into it. That’s what led me to Front End Engineering, it’s where design meets emotion, where code becomes craft. My mission is simple: to create experiences that are not just functional, but magical. When I see someone light up using something I’ve built, when they smile or feel something that’s when I know it’s worth it. That’s what drives me.
Lamborghini sales representative reflecting the excitement and impact the technology brings to the luxury dealerships.
Looking Ahead
Prakshal Jain’s story proves he cannot be constrained to existing molds. Instead, he creates entirely new ones. As he looks to expand Chimera globally, his mission is clear: build immersive tools that impress and empower users. He continues to lead with purpose. Jain isn’t just adapting to the future, he’s designing it.