Schreyer Scholar explores entrepreneurship through computer science

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa — Taking the first step to trying something new is often daunting, but the possibility of discovering new passions and interests can make the effort worthwhile.

Second-year Penn State Schreyer Scholar and computer science major, Aryan Sabnekar, learned this firsthand when he enrolled in an online coding course during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The weekly virtual classes appealed to his lifelong interest in entrepreneurship, as Sabnekar said he was enthralled with the ability to create apps, software and webpages at the tip of his fingers. This experience influenced Sabnekar to choose an academic path at Penn State that would honor his innovative mindset and his newfound interest in computer science.

“I learned programming over the pandemic, and I thought it was super cool that I could create many different programs and see the results in real time. I decided to minor in entrepreneurship at Penn State because one of my long-term goals is to build a business that solves meaningful problems,” Sabnekar said. “My computer science major allows me to develop strong technical skills, while the minor helps me understand how to turn ideas into products. Together, they give me both the technical foundation and the business perspective needed to create something of my own in the future.”

Sabnekar said he was excited to build upon his coding knowledge at Penn State and find unique opportunities to creatively apply his computer science skillset both inside and outside the classroom. When a fellow scholar asked him to join a team for an event called “HackPSU,” Sabnekar knew this was just the opportunity he was searching for.

HackPSU is a hackathon style competition held every semester at Penn State, where students from all over the country are tasked with coding products from scratch in under 24 hours.

Students are given open-ended prompts and then use their creativity to develop an idea for a product and present a fully functional version at the end of the event. Sabnekar found himself immediately hooked on the energizing atmosphere of HackPSU. He has since participated in two other competitions as both a team member and a solo contestant.

“For my first competition, my team created a chatbot for the Institute of Computational and Data Sciences. For the following competition in the spring, my team and I built a game similar to Street Fighter, except you fight an AI robot that trains against your playstyle,” Sabnekar explained. “Then, for my most recent competition in the fall of 2025, I competed by myself. I created a tool that can help you determine whether a video is AI-generated or not.”

Sabnekar’s AI-detector project was inspired by his mother’s own difficulty distinguishing between real and AI-generated videos. This personal experience motivated Sabnekar to create a software that all social media users, including his mother, can easily use.

Creating this detector as a solo contestant was no easy feat, as Sabnekar explained how becoming an expert on the topic of AI media was one of the most challenging hurdles to navigate during the competition.

“For my most recent competition, I had no idea about what tools existed to help determine whether something is AI-generated or not. So, I had to research and learn about all of these different types of tests, and then try to implement them all. I had to essentially be an expert on something I learned 12 hours ago,” Sabnekar said. “It was definitely a stressful event doing it solo, but also extremely fun.”

Through prioritizing fun, creativity and hard work, Sabnekar took home a first-place award at each HackPSU event he participated in. Sabnekar and his team tied for first place in the chatbot category during their first hackathon event. The team then went on to win first place in the machine learning category for their Street Fighter game the following semester. Finally, during his most recent solo competition, Sabnekar’s AI detector earned him the best overall award for the entire HackPSU competition.

While winning awards and improving his coding skills are major motivators for participating in HackPSU, Sabnekar shared how the high-pressure, collaborative environment has also strengthened his professional and personal skillset.

“I've learned a lot about working with a team in a high-pressure, down-to-the-wire atmosphere. I have been in team projects in school before, but usually you've been learning about the subject. Whereas at HackPSU, you're just thrown in and then you have to work with your team and split up everything so that it's efficient,” Sabnekar said. “There’s a lot that I have learned, a mix of soft skills, communication, working with a team, and also technical skills in terms of coding and research. There is a lot that I can add to my resume now.”

Sabnekar also possesses a passion for business in addition to his computer science involvement, he said. He is currently a member of the Penn State Global Business Brigades, where he practices his business consulting skills in unique locations around the globe.

Sabnekar shared how, despite appearing to be two unrelated interests, he has applied skills from HackPSU during his recent trip abroad with the Global Brigades.

“This past summer, I went to Panama, which was partially funded by Schreyer, and I was working with a chicken farmer to do business consulting with the Global Brigades. I applied the teamwork skills from HackPSU, because teamwork was so important to learn everything we could about the client and use that information to help them,” Sabnekar shared. “I have also learned to stay calm in high-pressure environments with strict deadlines. While Panama was not high-pressure in the same way as a HackPSU, we had limited time and ambitious goals, so staying focused was important. I am very grateful for the opportunity to apply these skills in a totally different situation than I am used to.”

Looking to the future, Sabnekar plans to continue expanding and improving his award-winning AI-detection software. He recently featured the project at the Penn State Engineering Design Showcase, winning a monetary prize that will support future enhancements.

Frank Koe, Sabnekar’s instructor for his entrepreneurial leadership course, was responsible for encouraging Sabnekar to sign up for the showcase. Koe recognized Sabnekar’s budding talent for product development and his ability to apply his technical skills to create useful, innovative inventions.

“Aryan is a perfect example of a student who understands the entrepreneurial mindset and is able to put his major in computer science to work. His idea of determining if an image is AI-generated or not has great commercial potential,” Koe explained. “My hope is that he continues to pursue his idea and utilize all available University resources to support and advance his work.”