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Pagadala's story begins in Florida and twists through India and most of Europe before landing in Massachusetts. But while he’s making a make for himself with his big-brained ideas now, the Boston man had hoped to be known for his legs.
"I wanted to be a professional soccer player," he says. "I traveled all over Europe for that dream. I put all of my hopes and passion towards that."
Those legs carried him to Monroe College in New York, where he would win a National Championship with the school's soccer team. He transferred to Babson College in Wellesley, where he changed his focus to a new passion — startups.
"I had a quarter-life crisis," Pagadala says. "I had done so much to make that happen, but I knew it was unlikely I would make that dream come true. ... I decided to focus on my business degree and channel that energy into what's next."
That next step was backward. He grew up in a family of real estate professionals and realized he could leverage that knowledge into something tangible.
In his sophomore year, Saranga came up with the idea for ReelProp — now rebranded to DesignAI. The platform allows users to upload photos of their homes to create 3D videos that guests can tour online. Though the applications go much further than that, he said.
"The reception has been great so far," Pagadala said. "We're working with interior design firms, architects, and general contractors to continue to improve the product. We believe this will save them a lot of time and money."
He says he also sees big value in the automotive and jewelry sectors.
DesignAI is currently a software, but Pagadala and his team plan to add VR and augmented reality components to make the experience more immersive.
"Our mission is to revolutionize the real estate experience, making it more accessible, efficient, and engaging for everyone involved," Pagadala said. "This technology is not just about viewing homes; it's about experiencing them in a way that was never possible before."
Pagadala runs the company with his co-founders Vinay Chitepu and Fred Hua.
This isn't Pagadala's first company, nor will it likely be his last. He started a sports consulting firm as a teenager and believes he'll be a serial entrepreneur. However, ReelProp and DesignAI have his full attention right now.
"I believe we can add so much value to our customers, and that's very exciting to me," he said. "... I love to meet new people and make those connections, and this has allowed me that opportunity. I get to help people, and that's very rewarding."
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