Kalyani Ramadurgam, a 26-year-old Indian-origin entrepreneur based in New York, has been recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 United States 2026 list in the finance category for her innovative work in financial technology. Holding a master's degree in computer science with a focus on artificial intelligence and a bachelor's in computer science from Stanford University, she has built an impressive career blending AI research, engineering, and high-stakes fintech applications. Prior to entrepreneurship, Ramadurgam held roles at Stanford, Akamai Technologies, Trials.ai, and Guardian Group, with a particular emphasis on machine learning, data analytics, and AI-driven solutions. She also contributed to global health data tools at Zenysis Technologies, serving governments in 13 countries between 2021 and 2023.

Her most notable corporate experience came during her 2020 tenure at Apple, where she worked as a software engineer on Apple Pay fraud prevention. In this sensitive role, Ramadurgam was instrumental in blocking individuals listed on global terrorism watch lists from accessing the platform, helping prevent misuse by terrorist networks. She observed that even at a tech giant like Apple, compliance processes remained heavily manual, involving the review of thousands of pages of documentation. As she noted, organizations were often "throwing bodies at the problem" rather than leveraging advanced technology, highlighting inefficiencies in financial risk and regulatory adherence.

Frustrated by these outdated methods, Ramadurgam co-founded Kobalt Labs in 2023 with Ashi Agrawal, a former software engineer at Affirm. Serving as CEO, she leads the AI-driven compliance startup, which automates risk operations, third-party diligence, and regulatory checks for banks and fintech companies. Kobalt Labs uses machine learning models to analyze vast volumes of contracts, policies, internal procedures, and external regulations, instantly surfacing risks, compliance gaps, and required disclosures. This "AI copilot" approach significantly reduces manual effort, error rates, and time, enabling financial institutions to scale faster and more securely. The company, which participated in Y Combinator’s S23 cohort, now serves over 20 clients, including Celtic Bank and fintech platform Bilt.

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Kobalt Labs has secured $13 million in funding to fuel its growth, with backers including investors from its Series A round led by figures like Ali Rowghani at First Harmonic. Ramadurgam’s journey from high-impact compliance work at Apple to building an enterprise-ready AI solution has drawn widespread attention, positioning her as a key figure in modernizing the financial sector’s approach to regulatory challenges. Her story exemplifies how firsthand exposure to critical security issues can drive transformative innovation in fintech.

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