Latest news with #ESAI
WIRED
3 days ago
- Business
- WIRED
How AI Is Helping Kids Find the Right College
Jun 20, 2025 6:30 AM College counselors in the US are too overworked to meet with every student. A new wave of specialized AI tools can learn students' interests, then recommend schools, areas of study, and scholarships. Photo-Illustration:After Julia Dixon graduated from the University of Michigan in 2014, her family and friends asked for her help with the college application process. Dixon was happy to share her recently earned expertise about the world of higher education but soon realized how many parents and students in her community needed help and how hard it was for them to access that support. The ratio of college counselors to students in the US, according to the American School Counselor Association, is one for every 376 students. Many students don't have proper access to a college counselor to help them with admissions or pick which schools and areas of study might suit them best. Hiring a private college counselor is an option, but that can cost thousands of dollars. In 2023, Dixon founded ESAI, a platform powered by artificial intelligence designed to assist students with the college admissions process. She also posts videos on TikTok about college planning and talks about how AI tools can be supportive to kids who don't know what their career options are. Access to the AI platform starts at around $21 per month, far less than private counseling. The Right Fit ESAI uses a matching algorithm, Dixon says, to help students understand all the factors that go into picking a school. First, ESAI directs students to a 'major mentor' and then to the school matchmaker. These tools assess things like the students' future goals, their sociability, the class size they thrive in, and whether they want to live near the campus. The results are highly personalized. 'A lot of kids come to us when they're more actively applying to school,' Dixon says. They may know where they want to apply and just need help writing their admissions essays or beefing up their applications. 'Our college essay support and quantifying calculator helps kids quantify the impact from activities they've already done,' she says. For example, if a student spends a lot of time babysitting younger siblings, the software can help them quantify that time as leadership skill-building and so they can put it on their application as a learned skill. Spending Wisely While finding the right school and major are top of mind for most families, so is the cost of higher education. 'A huge piece is the financial side,' Dixon says. 'How do we weigh options for in-state versus out-of-state tuition? How do we look at scholarships that can supplement you?' ESAI's scholarship tool matches a student's hobbies and interests as well as their demographics and financial situation to pair them with the best scholarship options. For example, there are scholarships available for students who are first-generation Americans or for women who are interested in STEM: science, technology, engineering, and math programs. Jon Carson started the College Guidance Network, an AI-powered counseling platform, when his son was a sophomore in high school. Back then, Carson couldn't get an appointment with the school counselor, and there were few resources specifically for parents. The conversations that families have about college—which ones to apply to, which ones they can afford—typically happen after hours, Carson says. 'We are talking to our kids at night, on the weekend, and during vacation, because during the day they're in history class and we're at work. Well, counselors are out of the building at night, on the weekend, and during vacation. It's an unfortunate mismatch.' To remedy that divide, he created the College Guidance Network, a web platform with advice from more than 375 experts who understand the application process. The site has a library of content as well as videos and PDF resources about the college application process that parents and kids can review together. It also offers 'office hours' with an admissions expert. The site's tagline is 'Experts for everyone, all in one place.' The expert content covers four main stages of college planning: discovery, admissions steps, financial aid, and the parent-teen dynamic, so parents can learn how to work with their children during this process when, typically, the teen might be reluctant to take advice from their parents. Students and parents are guided through the selection process by Eva, an AI counseling assistant, which surfaces advice drawn from that library of expert data and can also turn to the internet to find more individualized information, like application due dates for specific colleges or what the registration deadlines are for the SAT and ACT tests. The system creates a calendar with due date reminders so students can more easily hit those deadlines. The system is provided by college counselors in 60 high schools, and a dozen college admissions offices are signing up to sponsor Eva for inquiring families to lower their admissions anxiety. Eva was recently also made available to the public for a monthly fee starting at $15, so students and their families can access the system from home. Life Coaches Emily Pacheco is the associate director of admissions at Case Western Reserve University and the founder of an organization that encourages ethical AI adoption in college admissions. She says that kids today are using AI like a life coach. 'I really look at it as a thought partner,' Pacheco says. 'The number one usage of ChatGPT right now is for therapy and companionship. People are using this technology to help them make decisions about their lives, and students are using it to help them navigate the college admission process.' While some high school and college students may be using generative AI to cheat, write essays, or solve homework problems, some educators feel like it doesn't cross a line to use it as a study partner, a tutor, or as a helper to tighten up writing. Pacheco says the essay writing process can be done ethically with the help of AI. 'We talk about brainstorming and outlining and getting feedback like, 'Hey, is my essay saying what I want it to say to the audience? Is it going to be received in the way that I expect it to be received?' AI [gives] pretty thoughtful responses that sometimes can be better received than responses from a parent or even a college counselor.' Additionally, these new AI-powered guidance counselor programs can help students find alternate paths in life if their interests are pointing them somewhere other than a four-year college. 'There are really great community colleges that might be the next best step,' says Pacheco. Other students might benefit more from going to trade school. This type of school selection guidance is helpful not only for students but also for colleges and universities, she says, since fewer students are applying to most schools. While there are thousands of higher-education programs in the US, the top 30 or so schools receive an abundance of applications, and the rest may struggle to fill their student quotas. 'Everyone knows about the demographic cliff,' says Geoff Baird, founder of the enrollment management platform Enroll ml. Fewer students are applying to colleges, partly because of declining birth rates but also because the high cost of higher education makes it harder to see the return on investment. "This is all fundamentally changing the enrollment environment for institutions,' Baird says. Many college recruiters attend high school college fairs to find the kids who will thrive in their programs. Enroll ml helps college recruiters make those same types of connections without having to travel to meet students face-to-face. The platform uses machine learning to help a higher-education institution more effectively identify students within their applicant pool who would be a good fit. Then it creates personalized communications for admissions teams so those institutions can reach out to those students and develop relationships, Baird says. The system analyzes the timing, patterns, and interactions of hundreds of behaviors—such as which types of communications the students engage with and how quickly they respond, or if they visited the school or browsed online—to know which schools students are seriously considering. This is especially needed today since over 1,000 colleges and universities use Common App, a program which enables students to apply to dozens of schools with the press of a button. 'An institution has highly limited resources on the admissions and enrollment side, so when they are spending time on students who are not actually interested, that is taking away time and attention from students who really are,' Baird says. In this competitive and chaotic landscape, whether a student is looking for the right school or a school is looking for the right student, AI is helping them find one another.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AXISCADES Technologies Ltd (BOM:532395) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Highlights: Record Revenue ...
Release Date: May 27, 2025 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. AXISCADES Technologies Ltd (BOM:532395) achieved a significant milestone by crossing 1,000 crores in consolidated revenue for the financial year 2025. The company's core verticals, including aerospace, defense, and ESAI, showed strong growth, with aerospace growing by 13% and defense by 16%. The adjusted EBITDA grew by 17% over the previous year, indicating improved operational efficiency. The company has embarked on a major business transformation initiative to achieve nonlinear product-led growth, aiming for a billion-dollar revenue by 2030. AXISCADES Technologies Ltd (BOM:532395) has significantly reduced its finance costs and maintains a healthy balance sheet with a low net debt position. The non-core verticals, such as heavy engineering, automotive, and energy, have been negatively impacted by macroeconomic factors, affecting overall growth. The company's enterprise-level EBITDA margin is diluted to 13.8% due to negative margins in non-core businesses. There were one-time and non-recurring costs of around 14 crores in Q3 and Q4, impacting the financial results. The automotive segment, particularly the acquisition of ADD Solutions in Germany, did not achieve its growth objectives. The company faces challenges in recalibrating its non-core businesses, which are still impacted by external macro factors. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 6 Warning Sign with BOM:532395. Q: Can you explain the one-time costs mentioned in the earnings report? A: The one-time costs, amounting to 14 crores, were primarily due to a leadership overhaul and voluntary separations, including the previous CEO. These costs also included legal expenses and consulting fees related to our automotive business. These are non-recurring costs and will not repeat next year. - CFO Q: What are the key levers for achieving the target of 24% EBITDA margin under the Power 930 initiative? A: The key levers include focusing on our core businesses like aerospace, defense, and ESAI, which already have higher EBITDA margins. We aim to shift from a service-oriented model to a product-led approach, which will drive margin expansion. - CEO Q: Can you provide more details on the phases of your new facility development and the types of missiles you plan to manufacture? A: Phase one will focus on strategic electronics, including radar and electronic warfare systems. Phase two will involve missile assembly and manufacturing, focusing on smaller missiles. Phase three will include MRO and supply chain facilities for aerospace and defense. - President of Defense Q: What is the visibility for the revenue growth guidance in aerospace, defense, and ESAI? A: In aerospace, we have secured revenues with current customers and a strong pipeline. Defense growth is driven by production programs and new OEM opportunities. ESAI's growth is supported by a robust order book and new product initiatives. - CEO, President of Defense, President of ESAI Q: How do you plan to fund the CapEx for the new facilities, and what is the expected revenue contribution? A: Phase one will be funded primarily through internal accruals, with strategic partnerships for subsequent phases. We expect a healthy asset turnover of 2 to 2.5 times for phase one, contributing significantly to future revenues. - CFO For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
Business Standard
24-04-2025
- Automotive
- Business Standard
Axiscades Tech rallies as subsidiary appoints Anurag Sharma as CEO
Axiscades Technologies jumped 4.16% to Rs 858 after the company's wholly owned subsidiary, add-solution GmbH, appointed Anurag Sharma as chief executive officer (CEO), to drive European growth, software-led engineering innovation. Add-solution GmbH, a Germany-based subsidiary of the company specializes in wiring harness design & testing for aerospace, automotive and industrial sectors. It also leads the specialized drone development and thermal management offering of AXISCADES group in Europe. Anurag Sharma, alumnus of IIT Roorkee joins as CEO of add-solution, bringing more than three decades of multifaceted experience across product development, sales & business development, P&L management, and the successful execution of large-scale engineering programs. He began his career with L&T, contributing to a prestigious national project for the Indian Defense. Anurags leadership journey spans global organizations such as Siemens Technology, Segula Technologies, Altran India, Ansys India and Altair Engineering. He has also worked extensively on Digital manufacturing and Smart infrastructure initiatives in the Metals and Oil & Gas sectors across the Middle East. Alfonso Martinez, CEO and MD of Axiscades said, We are excited to welcome Anurag to our leadership team. He embodies the rare blend of technical expertise and executional foresight that defines Axiscades ambition. The future of engineering value is being created: at the intersection of electrification, AI-driven industrial transformation, and semiconductor-led innovation and he brings these talents to the table. Anurags track record in scaling engineering businesses gives add-solution the exact leverage needed to dominate the software-defined era. His work in EDS and cross-border industrialization aligns with our strategy to embed deeper into European OEMs R&D cycles. In Europe, the sector contributes 4% to the GDP and is home to several leading premium car manufacturers, making it a highly attractive market. As part of our restructuring, Axiscades is doubling down on aerospace, defense, and engineering services powered by Electronics, Semiconductors and Artificial Intelligence (ESAI). add-solution plays a central role in this vision, bringing software-led scale and agility to these high-priority verticals. We're building a leadership team that doesnt just respond to industry shifts it shapes them. Anurag Sharma, CEO, said, Axiscades is at an inflection point where product innovation in the domain of electronics, semiconductor and digital engineering are converging to create long-term value. The EDS (Electrical Distribution Systems) industry is undergoing a major transformation, with embedded electronic systems and 3D designs taking center stage. As OEMs increasingly shift towards software-defined vehicles and electrification, the demand for highly specialized, domain-driven engineering services is set to rise. Axiscades is a leading, end-to-end technology, product and solutions provider aiding the creation of innovative, sustainable, and safer products worldwide in the Aerospace, Defense and ESAI domains. Headquartered in Bangalore with subsidiaries and offices worldwide, in USA, UK, France, Germany, Denmark, Canada and China. The companys consolidated net profit jumped 99.3% to Rs 14.81 crore in Q3 FY25 as compared with Rs 7.43 crore in Q3 FY24. Net sales increased 18.4% YoY to Rs 274.15 crore in Q3 FY25.
Business Upturn
24-04-2025
- Automotive
- Business Upturn
AXISCADES appoints Anurag Sharma as CEO of add-solution to boost European growth and engineering innovation
AXISCADES Technologies Ltd. has announced the appointment of Anurag Sharma as CEO of add-solution GmbH, its Germany-based subsidiary. The move is aimed at accelerating the company's growth in Europe and strengthening its capabilities in software-led engineering services across aerospace, automotive, and industrial sectors. This strategic leadership change comes as AXISCADES doubles down on its Electronics, Semiconductors, and Artificial Intelligence (ESAI) business focus and aims to embed deeper into the R&D cycles of European OEMs, especially in the high-growth EDS (Electrical Distribution Systems) domain. A step forward in European market strategy Anurag Sharma, an IIT Roorkee alumnus, brings over 30 years of leadership experience across major global organizations like Siemens Technology, Altran India, Ansys, Altair Engineering, and Segula Technologies. His track record includes scaling businesses, managing large P&L portfolios, and driving localization and digital manufacturing programs globally. Commenting on the appointment, Alfonso Martinez, CEO & MD of AXISCADES, said: 'Anurag brings a rare blend of executional foresight and domain expertise in electrification, semiconductor-led innovation, and AI-driven transformation—all of which align perfectly with our strategic roadmap in Europe.' Anurag Sharma's vision for add-solution Speaking on his new role, Anurag Sharma highlighted the evolving dynamics in EDS and embedded electronics, particularly the shift towards software-defined vehicles and digital engineering: 'We aim to deepen global partnerships and deliver smarter, faster, and more integrated engineering solutions. Our goal is to give AXISCADES a unique edge in a rapidly transforming industrial landscape.' Under his leadership, add-solution GmbH will focus on wiring harness design, component testing, thermal management, and drone technology—critical areas for next-generation product development across aerospace and automotive industries. About AXISCADES AXISCADES Technologies Ltd. is a leading end-to-end technology and product engineering company serving global clients in Aerospace, Defense, Automotive, and Industrial sectors. Headquartered in Bengaluru, it operates across 17 locations worldwide, including the USA, UK, Germany, France, and China, with a team of over 3,200 professionals. FAQs What is add-solution GmbH? A German subsidiary of AXISCADES focused on wiring harness design, drone systems, and thermal management solutions. Who is Anurag Sharma? The newly appointed CEO of add-solution, with over 30 years of experience in engineering leadership roles across Siemens, Ansys, and more. What is AXISCADES aiming to achieve with this appointment? Accelerated growth in Europe, deeper OEM integration, and expanded capabilities in ESAI (Electronics, Semiconductor, and AI). Which markets will be key focus areas? European premium automotive, aerospace, and defense markets. Disclaimer: The information provided is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or investment advice. Always conduct your own research or consult a business advisor before making any investment or strategic decisions.
