Stepping into 2026

Stepping Into 2026: A Year of Focused Progress, Purposeful Building, and Gratitude

As we step into 2026, I want to wish all educators, builders, thinkers, and doers a very Happy New Year.

Looking back, 2025 was a year of focused progress for us.

At MonitorExam, what began as digital proctoring evolved into something much larger and more meaningful:

a secure, end-to-end, instantly credible assessment ecosystem—built on speed, credibility, and trust.

As we enter 2026, we do so with:

• A growing base of repeat customers
• A promising inbound pipeline
• Positive momentum from both sales and fundraising perspectives

Most importantly, we enter the year with clarity on why we’re building and who we’re building for.

What We Built in 2025

This year was about completing the puzzle—turning isolated features into a cohesive assessment platform.

Key highlights:

• Launched AssessME, completing our end-to-end assessment platform
• Introduced VerifyME, enabling automated reporting and fraud detection
• Launched CredAPI to evaluate trust signals for interviews
• Rolled out a proctored Practice Mode for candidates to make  candidates accustomed to the grind.
• Introduced a prepaid, DIY exam creation model
• Enabled pay-as-you-go assessments to help small organizations hire without heavy upfront costs
• Ran global trials and saw inbound interest begin to compound
• Got featured in blogs and industry conversations

Together, these ensured assessments are:

• Secure
• Instantly schedulable
• Clearly reported
• Credible for all stakeholders involved

Seeing inbound finally “start working” was a quiet but deeply satisfying milestone.

Giving Back (and Learning Along the Way)

Building responsibly also means giving back—especially to ecosystems that supported us early on.

This year, we:

• Soft-launched the SaaS Early Adopters Club (filled within 2 hours) to help startups acquire early customers—pro bono
• Guided 10 students from BITS Pilani on real-world startup work
• Spoke about building early-stage startups while still in college at my alma mater, NIT Kurukshetra (330+ registrations)
• Mentored and technically evaluated the TrackShift Innovation Challenge with Plaksha University
• Served as Outreach Partner for the ARC SDG Awards – Startup Segment 2025
• Spoke to a room full of Middle School students from a tier-3 city, talking about startups, curiosity, and possibility

These moments grounded us—and reminded us why tech must stay human.

Personal Growth & Learning

On the personal front:

• I’m currently pursuing an AI program at Cornell Tech
• Participated in the India Economic Conclave, engaging with ideas shaping the next decade

Beyond programs and conferences, the biggest learning came from:

Customers

Teammates

Failures

And the quiet feedback loops of building something real

On the Road

• I’ve been traveling to Hyderabad more often—If you’re around, I’m always happy to catch up over coffee and talk tech, startups, or life.

Looking Ahead

• I’m deeply grateful for the journey so far.

As we move forward, our focus remains unchanged:

• Build with integrity
• Bring credibility to assessments and transactions
• Grow sustainably, without losing our soul

Here’s to 2026—another year of building with purpose.

Happy New Year ✨

— Manu

#NewYear2026 #Startups #TechForGood #EntrepreneurLife #MonitorExam #AssessME