Meet Udai Dhamija, a remarkable social innovator and community builder working at the intersection of artificial intelligence, social impact, and emerging markets. As the Founder and President of Oxbridge AI X and the Oxbridge AI Challenge, Udai has carved a unique path that blends entrepreneurship, leadership, and innovation. Currently an Entrepreneur in Residence at Marcho Partners and an MSc candidate at Oxford University, Udai’s journey includes founding the AI-driven startup Tuki and establishing a community-driven acceleration program for AI startups from Oxford and Cambridge.

Udai's professional journey exemplifies a blend of purpose, innovation, and global impact. He has a history of impactful work across continents, including turnaround management and social impact investing in Africa and leadership roles in med tech, clean energy, and other industries.

Recognized globally, he has won the UK Department for International Trade’s Global Entrepreneur Award (2020), The Global Accelerator Network’s Momentum Tour Pitch Competition in Hamburg (2019), and was a finalist in the Stanford Bases Challenge (2017).

With a Stanford Ignite Certificate in Entrepreneurship complementing his MSc in Major Programme Management from Oxford University and his Bachelors in Mathematics, Community, Environment and Planning from University of Washington and International Studies and Theology from Trinity College Dublin, Udai is redefining what it means to be a purpose-driven entrepreneur in a rapidly evolving world.

In this exclusive interview, Udai shares his journey from the hallowed halls of Eton College to his groundbreaking work in building supportive and collaborative AI communities. A blend of ambition, cultural heritage, and relentless curiosity has shaped Udai’s career and philosophy. Here, he opens up about his inspirations, struggles, and the driving forces behind his mission to create a better world.

My family has studied in the UK for generations. My great-grandfather on my grandmother's side attended Eton as I did, and then my grandfather, dad, uncle, and sister all went to Cambridge or Oxford. So, education and the UK have always been part of my story. Since the age of seven, I’ve spent almost all my summers in London.

My mother’s brother and father’s brother, and their respective families all lived here, so London has always been our nexus. Furthermore, on my mothers side, my great grandfather studied Engineering at UC Berkeley, something that drew me to Public Universities in the US and the Bay since I was young and I felt right at home during my time both in Seattle and Palo Alto.

My dad loved India and always wanted to move back after Cambridge. So a couple years after my parents got married they decided to move back to Delhi. Indian culture and Asian etiquette are deeply ingrained in me, but I’m also fed by British elements including my time at school in the UK and Ireland.

The cornerstone of my leadership philosophy probably stems from my family's commitment to the Sikh principle of equality—treating everyone as equals and celebrating the diversity of religions and cultures. This foundation was strengthened by my two grandmothers: one embodied seva, the Sikh tradition of selfless service, while the other shared Buddhist and Hindu teachings about emotional equilibrium (a lifelong pursuit). My mother's bedtime stories of the ten Sikh Gurus reinforced these values, highlighting their revolutionary stance on equality and social justice.

Meanwhile, my father's tales of historical leaders like Akbar, Alexander and Genghis Khan showed how inclusive leadership could unite diverse peoples under a common purpose. This unique blend of spiritual values—particularly the Sikh pillars of equality and seva—combined with historical examples of substantial ambition, shaped the foundation of my approach to leadership: creating inclusive spaces where diversity is celebrated, every individual is valued equally, and service to others guides our collective mission.

To simplify I feel I am Sikh on the outside, Buddhist on the inside. So in terms of the way to live, to be—the duty, the service—that’s Sikh. The inner dialogue I have with myself is Vajrayana Buddhist. It’s this combination—a sense of monumental ambition and a duty to serve. Both of those together give me a sense of purpose and mindfulness in leadership. It’s about balancing action with reflection. The never ending and unachievable pursuit of Plato’s Philosopher King.

I studied Abrahamic traditions such as Judaism, Christianity, Islam, first before specialising in traditions such as Buddhism and Vaishnavism. I find a lot of beauty in all of them. My personal Theosophy incorporates all of them. I always try to come from a place of love. That sounds very cheesy, but fundamentally, the joy comes from giving. Love, for me, is about the act of giving either to others or oneself. It’s not about getting or taking; it’s about creating this sense of fairness and shared humanity. Boundaries are important, as I now understand this from how to love yourself. So for me, it’s been about balancing giving with self-respect and creating something sustainable.

Attending Eton was transformative. It was the first place where I truly felt comfortable to be myself. The environment was a mix of rigorous academics, vibrant extracurriculars, and inspiring peers. My friends there were immensely talented, and being surrounded by high achievers constantly pushed me to raise my own standards. Eton instilled a strong foundation of discipline, adaptability, and leadership. Beyond academics, it taught me to think deeply about community, ambition, and purpose, which has stayed with me ever since.

But it was more than just academics. There was something about the sense of tradition and the breadth of opportunities that allowed me to grow into a more holistic version of myself. For example, sports and other activities were as emphasized as studies. I think back fondly to the environment that cultivated an all-roundedness in all of us. It’s one of the reasons I’ve maintained a love for multi-disciplinary thinking and diverse pursuits in my career.

It’s been a journey of discovery, growth and execution. Starting in Mathematics and Physics was about solving problems. When I shifted to Theology with International Studies, I started exploring meaning, culture, psychology, history, politics, and philosophy, which gave me a much broader perspective. When I studied Urban Planning, the focus was on community development and engagement, professional execution and consensus building.

This mix has been invaluable. My foundation in STEM helps me think critically and analytically, while the Humanities and Social Studies taught me about people, values and how to connect with diverse perspectives. It’s that interdisciplinary approach that has helped me build communities and solve complex problems in entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship and beyond.

At Trinity College I started in Pure Mathematics, which I quickly realized wasn’t aligned with my more engineering-oriented mindset. Transitioning to Theology was a turning point, it was the first time I felt a direct connection between what I was studying and what I wanted to work towards in my career. Philosophy and Theology further encouraged a way of thinking in my personal life that was not otherwise present in my academic life, one that aligned with my curiosity about people, cultures, and meaning. Dublin’s smaller but vibrant city life also encouraged me to explore and reflect more deeply. By the time I got to Seattle, I had a clear north star for the kind of impact I wanted to create and the tools I needed to do so.

My decision to move to Seattle was driven by a desire to explore a blend of academic rigor and practical application in sustainable development. The University of Washington offered an interdisciplinary approach that allowed me to pivot from theoretical mathematics to real-world problem-solving. Seattle’s unique energy—one of the meccas for sustainability while being surrounded by global tech companies like Microsoft and Amazon and an innovative culture—made it an ideal environment to expand my horizons.

Education is so much more than just what you study. It’s about the environment, the people, and how it shapes who you are. At the University of Washington I felt empowered and just loved the city and the community I became a part of at the College of Built Environment, and during my time at Stanford I felt in my element and at home for the first time since Eton. The campus, the people, and the sheer resources available on both occasions made such a difference. But equally I realised that experiential learning is as important as reading and lectures, putting into practice what I’m learning as I’m learning was the most effective way for me and is also what I have recreated while doing my MSc in Oxford.

For example, I learned how to build communities and lead teams. That experience, combined with my earlier leadership roles at Trinity, really shaped how I approach problems and leadership today. And it’s not just about academics; it’s about growing as a person, finding your passions, and discovering how you want to make an impact.

I am growth and problem obsessed. Entrepreneurship is arguably the most powerful path for problem solvers, as it requires one to challenge themselves to grow constantly, taking risks and reflecting quickly to be better in order to create meaningful and lasting value for the people you’re trying to help.

I believe this is partly why I find my work to be so much fun. It's so exciting. It's not just the building, it's the impact. Then you see yourself grow, you see opportunities to level up to become more capable and better, because the team and mission always come first. As you move forward you see more and more opportunities that you can create or support to help others. And that's very addictive.

The inspiration came from recognizing the gap in Oxford and Cambridge in terms of access to resources and community, and collaborative and supportive entrepreneurship. The kind I’ve experienced and benefitted from in the Bay and in other ecosystems. Both universities produce incredible talent, but there wasn’t a platform in either to encourage people to work together and support each other. I wanted to build that space—a community where startups thrive through collaboration and support rather than competition. I also really believe in the power of entrepreneurship to solve pressing problems.

The challenges were significant—engaging with distinct cultures was no small feat. Securing buy-in from industry leaders and ensuring we had the right mentors, resources, and infrastructure was another hurdle. But the biggest challenge was creating the culture for the startups. We did this by leading by example, the team and I give everything we have for the community. It's mainly self-funded at the moment and we work as much as we possibly can.

The founders and others in the community resonate with our values and mission and are amplifying the impact with their initiatives and work. We have a lot to improve and we’re working as hard as we can to help as many AI entrepreneurs from Oxford and Cambridge as we possibly can.

These partnerships are instrumental. Organizations like Microsoft and Digital Realty have brought technical expertise and mentorship. Both and others such as Marcho Partners, Stability.AI, Keltie and Taylor Wessing have been very engaged and interested in supporting startups in some cases to even test solutions. Finally, HV Capital, a leading VC in Europe has been an incredible new partner this year.

All of these organisations legitimized the challenge and showed participants the tangible value of collaboration. Having industry leaders involved also made it easier to attract top-tier startups and mentors. Their support went beyond financial or technical aid; they were true enablers of growth.

Francisco [the Vice-President of Oxbridge AI X - editor’s note] has been such an incredibly important part of my life. He’s family! We live together, we work together—he’s the air to my fire. Francisco and I were introduced through Oxford Artificial Intelligence Society, and initially, we were just trying to figure out how to create an incubation for one startup with an impact focus.

We started meeting once a week, just getting to know each other. Over time, we saw a lot of resonance in how we could work together. There wasn’t any concrete decision that we had to work together, but as we explored ideas, it became clear we wanted to. He joined the Oxbridge AI X team full-time in April 2024.

I truly believe that our success is thanks to the two of us working together and working with other partners in the community in both Oxford and Cambridge. I couldn’t have done this without him. We complement each other in ways that are essential to the momentum we’ve built. Francisco’s contributions go beyond just work—he’s deeply integral to what we’re building, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have him as a partner in this journey.

But equally we can’t do it without the founders, the judges, mentors, and most importantly the extended team and supporters from both years. People such as Joshua Lim, President of Cambridge Entrepreneurs Society whose a brother to us, Jenni Morris who founded Oxbridge AI Challenge with me, Yizhen Chen our Lead for Cambridge and Score Master, Ivan Vasenov, President and Puyu Wang, Treasurer of Oxford Artificial Intelligence Society, Raymond Zhao, Tom Wang, Yusuf Raza, Jessie Jiang, Jordan Wilson, Angelica Akrami and Maria Serova all who were instrumental in helping me build the foundation last year.

Sewook Oh, Maximilian Ge, Arif A. Wani, and Marcel Seger and Tanmay Gupta who are legends in the community supporting us every chance they can get. Finally, Sarah Lizzie Mushangwe, Kai Yulo, Seerat Bagga, Daniel Eldridge, Sarah Aaliyah, Hongfei Cai, Joshua Uwaifo, Damsith Wimal, Vasilis Leoutsakos, Tushar Bajaj, Noah Kasakaitis, Kristina Zhang, Will Dorrien-Smith, and Charlie Croome-Carroll who were the team that I personally worked with to help make it all happen this year!

Togetherness isn’t just a feel-good concept; it’s the foundation of real prosperity. We create prosperity and wealth for everyone by working together, by sharing ideas and resources. And that’s really the vision for Oxbridge AI X: How do we change the world? How do we save the world by solving these complex problems together? It’s not just about having a startup or an idea—it’s about recognizing that the best and most effective solutions come from collaboration, from diverse minds working as one.

Don’t get too caught up in the idea of the ‘perfect’ choice. Your path will evolve, and that’s okay. I started with mathematics, shifted to theology, and ended up in social entrepreneurship. What matters is not what you study, but how it shapes you and how you use those experiences to pursue your passions.

It’s also about knowing yourself. I wish I’d been more introspective and asked questions about what I wanted and why, not just about where I wanted to go when I was a teenager when choosing my undergraduate path. I don’t have any regrets but I know well that if you can understand what drives you—whether it’s problem-solving, creativity, or something else—you’ll be better equipped to make decisions that align with your goals. I also think everyone should know that transferring is always an option. It’s less about getting it right or perfect and more about constantly growing and adapting as you learn.