Dr. Manasa Mantravadi: From Stethoscope to Startup

Pediatrician-turned-entrepreneur Dr. Manasa Mantravadi is reshaping the way kids eat—literally. Dr. Mantravadi’s colorful line of stainless-steel tableware is designed as a safer alternative to widely used plastic products. Inspired in part by her upbringing in India where stainless-steel dinnerware is a household staple, Dr. Mantravadi has grown Ahimsa into a fast-scaling consumer brand now carried by major retailers like Target. Her products are also making their way into school districts across the country. In this conversation, she shares the story behind her entrepreneurial leap, the realities of startup life—the setbacks, the momentum swings, and the discipline required to scale—and offers insight into where she sees the company heading next.