Tejasvi Manoj

Tejasvi Manoj, named TIME’s 2025 Kid of the Year for building Shield Seniors, an AI platform that helps older adults detect scams, analyze suspicious messages, and safely report fraud.

Born in California to two software engineers, Tejasvi taught herself coding in middle school. After her grandfather was nearly tricked by scammers, she recognized how widespread digital fraud against seniors had become - and set out to design a simple, trustworthy tool to protect them.

Shield Seniors combines an AI assistant with senior-friendly guidance, clear explanations of cybersecurity concepts, and easy tools for uploading suspicious emails or texts. Beyond the platform, Tejasvi leads workshops at senior centers and trains young people to support elders in navigating the digital world.

Looking ahead, she plans to expand Shield Seniors into a mobile app, scale its reach through partnerships, and pursue computer science with a focus on AI and cybersecurity.

Outside her tech work, Tejasvi mentors Bhutanese refugee students and advocates for food security as part of the North Texas Food Bank Young Advocates Council.

Last updated: October 2025