Reimagining Science Education
Vishu Gupta on Bridging Experimentation Gaps with Explerify
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Imagine a world where every student, regardless of their school or city, could step into a fully equipped science lab without ever leaving the classroom. For many students in India and other countries, this is far from reality. Schools often lack the resources to provide proper laboratory facilities, leaving bright young minds curious but constrained.
Vishu Gupta, co-founder of Explerify.com, has made it his mission to change that. Drawing from his own experiences studying physics and chemistry in India, and later conducting cutting-edge research in Germany, Vishu saw firsthand how access — or the lack of it — can shape curiosity, confidence, and innovation. With Explerify, he’s bringing virtual laboratories to students around the world, making hands-on experimentation affordable, accessible, and engaging. In this interview, Vishu shares his journey from undergraduate tinkerer to entrepreneur, his vision for the future of science education, and the lessons he’s learned while building a platform that empowers educators and students alike.
Vishu, can you tell us about your educational journey and how it shaped your path toward founding Explerify?
My undergraduate experience at NISER, Bhubaneswar, was really formative. The lab ecosystem there was incredible: We had dedicated hours to experimenting, testing ideas, and asking endless “what if?” questions. Most of my peers, like me, came from Tier 2 or Tier 3 cities, where schools often lacked proper lab infrastructure. The contrast was striking. I realized early on how much access shapes curiosity and understanding in science.
Spending hours in labs sparked a constant desire to explore beyond what was provided. My peers and I would discuss ways to improve experiments or introduce new variables, but often we were limited by resources. That’s when the idea of creating a digital platform for experimentation started taking shape — a way to democratize hands-on science learning for every student, regardless of their school or city.
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You mentioned that many students in India lack access to proper laboratory facilities. How did this inspire the concept behind Explerify?
That experience really crystallized the mission. There was a clear inequity. Brilliant students were missing out on the chance to explore science practically simply because their schools couldn’t provide labs. It was frustrating to see, especially knowing how vital experimentation is to understanding scientific concepts.
We realized that the solution didn’t necessarily have to be physical labs in every school. Instead, we could bring experimentation digitally, providing an interactive, hands-on experience through a virtual platform. That’s how Explerify was born: to make science learning accessible, affordable, and engaging, and to give students the chance to experiment, visualize concepts, and explore science beyond textbooks.
How did your PhD experience in Germany influence this vision?
Moving to Germany for my PhD highlighted the gap even more. I worked on a 10-meter-long Very Long Baseline Atom Interferometer, which will be the world’s only absolute gravimeter facility. What struck me wasn’t just the advanced technology; it was the accessibility. Bachelor’s and master’s students could participate in cutting-edge experiments, gaining hands-on experience in ways I never had in my early education.
Seeing this made me realize the transformative power of access. It shapes curiosity, confidence, and creativity. I wanted students in countries with limited infrastructure to experience the same excitement. Explerify lets them do that, bringing labs into a virtual space where experimentation is possible for anyone, anywhere.
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Explerify focuses on making science education accessible and interactive. How exactly does the platform work, and what makes it unique?
Explerify is not about replacing teachers; it’s about empowering them. We provide educators with interactive simulators that bring abstract concepts to life. Students can manipulate variables, run experiments, and see results in real time. This turns passive learning into active exploration, helping them gain a deeper understanding without extra tuition or resources.
What makes our approach unique is the combination of scientific accuracy, interactivity, and accessibility. Every simulation is reviewed by peers, PhD colleagues, and educators before release. Beta testing in real classrooms allows us to refine the experience, ensuring students learn correctly and stay curious. It’s a collaborative process — teachers and students contribute to shaping the platform.
Building a startup alongside a PhD must be challenging. How do you manage it?
Time management is key. My Co-Founder Abhinav Mohanty and I both work full-time, so we dedicate early mornings, evenings, and weekends to Explerify. Balancing research and development is challenging, but also rewarding. This is our first entrepreneurial experience, so we’re learning on the go — from coding simulations to understanding user needs and scaling the platform. Being self-funded and a two-person team adds pressure, but it teaches patience, discipline, and resilience.
A key lesson has been listening to users. Feedback from students and teachers has shaped Explerify far more than any assumption we had. Flexibility, collaboration, and consistent effort are what keep the project moving forward.
Looking ahead, what’s your vision for Explerify and the future of science education?
I see Explerify expanding globally, covering more subjects, and integrating AR, VR, and conversational AI. The goal is immersive, interactive learning where students can explore, experiment, and understand concepts deeply; even without physical labs. Virtual labs can democratize science education, bridging the gap between students and cutting-edge experiments happening in high-end facilities.
Ultimately, the goal is simple: ignite curiosity and make learning fun and accessible for everyone. Every classroom that uses Explerify, every student who experiments digitally, brings us one step closer to that vision.
Finally, what advice would you give young scientists or innovators who want to turn their ideas into impactful products?
Just start. Don’t wait until you feel fully ready — you’ll learn most skills along the way. Listen to your users, collaborate with others who complement your skills, and keep experimenting. Make it fun. If students and creators enjoy the process, the impact will follow. That mindset guided us from a small idea at NISER to building a platform that’s now reaching thousands of students worldwide.
What happens next?
Check out our event calendar for upcoming workshops. Stay tuned for more updates, opportunities, and success stories!
Connect with Vishu via LinkedIn!
Interviewer & Editor, Design: Bianca Cramer
