Karan Verma

Project Management Head

Karan Verma is a junior at Liberty High School in Frisco, Texas, with a strong passion for innovation, entrepreneurship, and community impact. He was a finalist and placed 2nd at the Texas A&M Big Idea Challenge, earning $2,000, and placed 3rd at the Iowa Innovation Challenge, winning $500. Most recently, he won 1st place and $1,000 at the USA SAGE Business Competition and will represent the United States at the SAGE World Cup in Tbilisi, Georgia. He also placed in the Top 30 globally of the Blue Ocean Competition and is a semifinalist in the Diamond Challenge. Karan co-founded Invest2Empower, a nonprofit focused on expanding financial literacy in underserved communities, which now operates internationally in Ukraine and has multiple chapters across the U.S. The initiative earned a $2,000 grant from the Kean Business Plan Competition. He currently serves as Vice President of Engagement in Liberty DECA, where he’s a State and ICDC qualifier, and also competes in BPA. As a leader in iStart Valley, Karan is Head of Project Management on the Youth Executive Council and has judged multiple pitch competitions as a panelist. His startup, Flight Ready System, was named a Global Finalist in the iStart Valley Startup Competition and earned the silver Presidential Volunteer Service Award. Additionally, through the DiscoverSTEM Innovation Program, Karan has also led a team to develop a prototype and patent-pending solution for combating termite infestations in homes. For the past two years, Karan has served under U.S. Representative Keith Self on the Congressional Youth Advisory Council, including a visit to Washington, D.C. to engage with elected officials and lawmakers to advance student financial aid policies. In his free time, Karan enjoys watching the NFL, cooking, and spending time with family and friends. He is excited to continue supporting young innovators through iStart Valley and beyond.