Shamik Sarangi presenting research at ICSEDI 2026 in Muscat

Muscat, Oman · Computer science × energy

ShamikSarangi

Student, researcher and founder building software that helps power grids run on more renewable energy.

GridaptHelioAidGridovatorsNeurIPS 2026Times of Oman
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3,500+
students taught through Gridovators
4,000+
HelioAid downloads across 5 countries
2.5 GW
renewables firm piloting Gridapt
560k
daily readers of my Times of Oman column

In the press

Writing for Oman's national daily

Commentary columns on Oman's energy transition in Times of Oman, the country's leading English-language newspaper. Tap a page to read the full print edition.

Times of Oman, 17 June 2026: The First Molecule, by Shamik Sarangi
The First Molecule17 June 2026
 Times of Oman, 4 August 2026: One Field, Two Harvests, by Shamik Sarangi
One Field, Two Harvests4 August 2026

About

I'm a student, researcher and founder working where computer science meets energy systems. I build software of every kind, from apps to games to operating systems. Almost every new technology plugs back into the grid, so to protect the planet and keep scaling technology, we need fully renewable power sooner. Technology itself can get us there faster.

What I'm building

Three projects, one goal: a cleaner grid

Gridapt

Co-Founder & CEO · Energy optimization software

Gridapt builds software that helps power grids bring more renewables online without losing reliability, while cutting electricity costs for industrial sites. We were incubated by Oman's national grid operator and backed by IRENA's global startup accelerator, where I joined as the youngest founder in the program's history.

We've signed two commercial letters of intent, completed a successful pilot with a 2.5-gigawatt international renewables company, and filed a patent on the core technology. We're now raising our seed round.

  • IRENA accelerator
  • 2 LOIs signed
  • 2.5 GW pilot
  • Patent filed
GRIDAPT.APPCutting energy costs with energy management softwareVisit site →
Shamik with the Oman Electricity Transmission Company team, Gridapt and OETC logos on screen

With the team at Oman Electricity Transmission Company, part of Nama Group.

HelioAid

Founder · Rooftop solar for the Middle East

HelioAid is a free app that shows homeowners what rooftop solar could do for them. You trace your roof on a satellite map, set its direction and tilt, and get savings and payback in your local currency, then connect with a local installer.

It's been downloaded more than 4,000 times across five countries, with 1,600 active users in its first month. Three firms now use the enterprise version to plan large installations, ranking every rooftop in an industrial area by output and return.

  • 4,000+ downloads
  • 5 countries
  • 3 enterprise clients
Icons Oman feature: Shamik Sarangi, Founder of HelioAid
Featured by Icons OmanSpotlighted as an emerging changemaker in computer science and energy. View on LinkedIn →
HELIOAID.COMLet's build a solar electrified Middle EastVisit site →
HelioAid enterprise tool ranking 1,054 industrial rooftops by solar output
HelioAid app home screen
Tracing a 239.5 square metre roof in HelioAid
HelioAid on the Google Play Store

The enterprise tool modelling 1,054 industrial rooftops, the consumer app, and its Play Store listing.

Gridovators

Co-Founder · Clean-energy education

Gridovators is a free, gamified curriculum on electricity and clean energy for students aged 9 to 22, built to get young people genuinely interested in energy careers. We run school workshops with three clean-tech startup partners and teach in more than five languages.

Over 3,500 students have taken part. We raised $2,000 for hands-on clean-energy projects in rural Indian schools, and we're building a Nat Geo-backed education campaign with Treeva.

  • 3,500+ students
  • 5+ languages
  • $2k raised
GRIDOVATORS.ORGBuilding a clean, reliable grid, one classroom at a timeVisit site →
Shamik leading a Gridovators workshop: Where does our electricity come from?
Students holding Gridovators certificates at a school in India
Students using Gridovators in a classroom

A school workshop in Muscat, and students at a partner school in rural India.

Play the Gridovators game
A grid-building game I made for the curriculum
Open full screen ↗

Research & writing

AI for the energy transition

AI for Energy Forecasting

Research Assistant to Dr. Jitendra Pandey · Middle East College

I work on forecasting grid demand and renewable output with AI models. I've published two first-author papers at IEEE and Springer international conferences, and a first-author paper of mine was accepted at the NeurIPS 2026 Global South in AI workshop, which I'll present in December. I was also asked to review for that workshop, and a Q1 journal paper is in progress.

  • IEEE
  • Springer
  • NeurIPS 2026
  • NeurIPS reviewer
Shamik Sarangi at Oman Climate Week, September 2026

At Oman Climate Week, September 2026.

Times of Oman

Columnist & Feature Writer

The paper found me through my personal blog and asked me to write a recurring column on Oman's energy transition. I've also filed nine field reports, from green hydrogen in Duqm to farms that grow crops under solar panels.

Further Study

EPQ · Stanford ML · ABET microcredential

An Extended Project Qualification dissertation, worth half an extra A-Level, due January 2027. Andrew Ng's Machine Learning Specialization from Stanford, and an eight-week ABET-accredited course on applying the UN SDGs and ethical design to engineering.

Recognition

Honours & awards

  1. IRENA Renewable Energy Startup AcceleratorAdmitted as Gridapt's founder, with about 4% of applicants accepted worldwide. Youngest founder in the program's history, in a cohort with Forbes 30 Under 30 founders.
    INTL
  2. 1st place, Hack-Nation Global HackathonHosted by MIT Sloan's AI Club. Around 4,000 entrants from 300 universities in 60 countries; I competed against college students and won $3,500 and internship offers.
    INTL
  3. Captain, Team Oman · World Robot OlympiadBronze at the international final (top 2% of teams worldwide) after taking national gold.
    INTL
  4. First-author paper at NeurIPS 2026Accepted to the Global South in AI workshop at the top-ranked AI conference.
    INTL
  5. GENIUS Olympiad 2026 finalistSelected from entries across 79 countries for solar forecasting research.
    INTL
  6. Highest scorer in Oman, three GCSE subjectsComputer Science, Geography and French.
    NATIONAL

Along the way

Robots, recycling, football and piano

Robotics Olympiad Club

Co-Founder & Head Coach

After winning national and international medals myself, I started my school's first robotics club. I've coached more than ten teams since; one won national gold and represented Oman internationally, and the rest regularly finish in the national top five.

Shamik with younger club members and their robots at a competition
Club team Robo Champs with their trophy and ticket to WRO 2025 Singapore

Club members at competition, and the team I coached heading to WRO 2025 in Singapore.

Sustainability Impact Team

Member → Deputy Head → Head

I set up my school's multi-waste recycling program with a local NGO and helped paint eco-art murals around campus. As head, I led an Earth Day event for more than 1,000 people that upcycled old uniforms and raised $500 toward the school's first solar installation.

Plastic and paper recycling stations at British School Muscat
Collected paper for recycling
Ocean-themed eco-art mural painted by the team

Recycling stations, collected paper, and one of the murals.

Computer Vision at Esbaar

Intern

Co-built three computer vision features for offshore oil rig safety, including helmet and red-zone detection, to flag live hazards for migrant workers on long shifts.

Esbaar logo

Varsity Soccer

Center Midfielder

I run warm-ups and drills, and helped the team finish first in the regional league and fourth at BSME against 15+ international schools. Also the unofficial pre-match hype man.

Shamik with the British School Muscat varsity soccer team

Piano

Pianist

Trinity Grade 5 with Distinction. Silver at the Gulf Musician Idol competition across five countries. I play regularly at community concerts.