AI Startup Julius Powers Harvard’s Data Science Course

Meet the Real Tech Genius Behind the Viral 'Rahul Ligma' Prank

Who is Rahul Ligma, and is he a real engineer? If you’ve been wondering whether the infamous “fired Twitter employee” from Elon Musk’s 2022 Twitter acquisition prank was just a hoax, you’re not alone. The truth is, Rahul Ligma—whose real name is Rahul Sonwalkarnever worked at Twitter (now X), but he is indeed a seasoned AI engineer and startup founder making serious waves in the tech world. Today, he’s the brains behind Julius, an AI data analytics platform used by Harvard Business School. The viral prank might have been a joke, but Sonwalkar's work in artificial intelligence, predictive modeling, and data visualization is no laughing matter.

                  Image Credits:Julius

From Prank to Power Player: Who is Rahul Sonwalkar?

The internet may remember him for the hilarious “Ligma” hoax outside Twitter HQ, but Rahul Sonwalkar has an impressive track record in Silicon Valley. A former Uber engineer, he’s also a Y Combinator alum who initially worked on a logistics startup before shifting gears. Now 27, Sonwalkar is fully focused on democratizing data science through his startup Julius, which allows users to analyze complex datasets using natural language prompts—no coding required.

Julius: The AI Data Tool That's Beating Big Tech

In a sea of AI tools like ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude, and Google Gemini, Julius stands out by offering intuitive data analytics capabilities tailored for real-world business applications. With over 2 million registered users, Julius enables professionals to unlock deep insights through AI-driven data modeling, all via simple, conversational queries.

What sets Julius apart? According to Iavor Bojinov, assistant professor at Harvard Business School, Julius outperformed all its competitors in a comprehensive evaluation. So much so that Harvard made it part of its required MBA curriculum in a new course titled Data Science and AI for Leaders. This kind of institutional endorsement signals not only credibility but high-value enterprise AI adoptiona key signal for both tech investors and enterprise software buyers.

Harvard's Endorsement: A Game-Changer for Julius

Harvard Business School’s adoption of Julius reflects growing demand for AI-powered education tools and data democratization platforms in elite academic and business environments. “We had done a head-to-head comparison across a number of platforms, including ChatGPT, and Julius ended up performing the best.

This partnership not only elevates Julius’s profile but places Sonwalkar in elite company among founders whose products drive business intelligence, machine learning adoption, and data-driven leadership.  

The Takeaway: From Meme to Market Leader

Rahul Sonwalkar’s story is a powerful reminder that viral fame can open unexpected doors—but true innovation always speaks louder. Julius is quickly becoming a go-to AI tool for those seeking scalable data science solutions, whether in the classroom or the boardroom.

If you're looking to stay ahead in the age of AI, keep an eye on Julius. The startup that started as an underdog is now influencing the way future business leaders learn about AI, data science, and predictive decision-making.

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