Students’ front-row seat to the future
A six-week scholarship programme that granted two students from AUT “front-row access” to one of world’s fastest growing innovation ecosystems say it has reshaped how they see their careers and the future of work.
The trip to India took Nafisa Kapadia and Ali Mojdehi across nine states, offering rare access to some of India’s leading universities, incubators and international conferences.
For Mumbai-born Master of Business student Nafisa, the opportunity aligned directly with her research into immigrant entrepreneurship. With a research focus on how Entrepreneurial Support Organisations in New Zealand support immigrant entrepreneurs, she saw the programme as a rare chance to understand the journey in its earliest stages - on the ground in India.
“Being in India allowed me to connect with entrepreneurs at all stages, from founders making a difference in rural India to billionaires,” Nafisa says. “I wanted to meet entrepreneurs before they even begin their journey to New Zealand, to understand both sides of that experience and to bridge that gap in entrepreneurial ecosystem literature.
“But the real benefit was that I wasn’t just observing, I was in rooms with CEOs, founders, policymakers. Those are conversations I’m still having. That doesn’t happen in a classroom.
“This trip opened doors you simply don’t have access to otherwise.”
The two students represented AUT as part of the recently discontinued New Zealand Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia programme.
Throughout the trip, Ali and Nafisa engaged with startup founders, pitched ideas, and attended major events focused on artificial intelligence, education and entrepreneurship, gaining insight into how emerging technologies are reshaping India’s economic landscape.
For Ali, a Computer Science, Data Science and Economics student, the trip offered a glimpse of what he calls “the future - at speed”.
“In New Zealand, we’re watching these shifts happen,” Ali says. “In India, they’re already happening. You feel the pace, the urgency and it changes how you think about what’s possible.
“I’ve come back with a roadmap. I can see what's going to happen in the next five years, 10 years, and I can navigate my way through it because I've seen the future. I know where we're going.”
For Ali, the concept of jugaad - or frugal, resourceful innovation - was a defining takeaway.
“There’s a mindset of just building quickly and making things work with whatever you have. It’s fast, resourceful, and driven. You don’t wait for perfect conditions - you just build. That’s something I’ve brought back with me.”
Both students credit AUT’s strong focus on applied learning and industry connection for preparing them to make the most of the opportunity.
“At AUT, you’re encouraged to step into these spaces,” says Nafisa. “That made a real difference once we were there.”
“At AUT, you’re recognised early,” Ali adds. “You’re given opportunities, and you’re encouraged to step into them.”
Both students are already applying what they learned. Nafisa is integrating international insights into her postgraduate research, while Ali is preparing to enter strategy consulting with ambitions to launch a tech startup.
“Experiences like this are transformational,” says Nafisa. “They shape how you think, what you pursue, and how you connect globally.”
Ali agreed. “It’s not just a trip. It changes your trajectory. You come back seeing things differently, with a sense of what’s coming, and where you fit in it.”