A Teen’s Idea Could Help People Respond When Every Second Matters
When a friend fainted at school, Aanya Mansani saw how hard it could be to help without knowing whom to call or what medical information might matter. The experience stayed with the 15-year-old from Texas—and gave her an idea.
She created Emergen, a platform that lets someone scan a QR code to see essential emergency details, such as allergies, medications, medical conditions, and trusted contacts. There’s no app to download or account to sign into. The code can be placed on an everyday item, such as an ID badge or backpack, so it can be useful even when a student doesn’t have access to a phone.
Mansani has also thought carefully about privacy. Emergen is designed to show bystanders the information they need to help, while a separate level of access is being developed and tested for verified medical professionals. Its “masked calling” feature lets someone reach an emergency contact without revealing that person’s phone number.
To make the tool more useful in a real emergency, Mansani sought input from family, classmates, teachers, her school nurse, and a Battalion Fire Chief with Frisco Fire Department EMS. Their feedback helped her refine an idea born from a frightening moment into a practical way for people to look out for one another.
In 2026, Mansani and her team won the junior division grand prize at the Technovation World Summit. She hopes the recognition will help bring Emergen to more schools and communities.
“Winning [this prize] was an incredible milestone, but my larger goal is to bring Emergen into schools and communities, helping people feel more prepared to respond during emergencies,” Mansani said.
