From Student to Startup Founder: Senara Millawabandara’s Path at UC Davis
When Senara Millawabandara transferred to University of California, Davis, she knew she wanted more than just a computer science and engineering degree. She was searching for new opportunities to thrive as a student entrepreneur and engineer.
As a first-generation college student from an immigrant background, Millawabandara wanted to take time exploring different possibilities before deciding to transfer from American River College to UC Davis. At UC Davis, she quickly found herself in the university’s startup and engineering communities — discovering a passion for entrepreneurship and leadership along the way.
During her time on campus, Millawabandara helped lead student initiatives in artificial intelligence and co-founded Data Pigeon, a startup focused on improving electric vehicle charging infrastructure reliability through AI-driven technology.
For Millawabandara, now a new alum, her journey at UC Davis has been defined by a desire for personal growth and professional development.
Building Solutions Through Computer Science
Millawanbandara has always been drawn to the creative side of engineering and technology.
“I like the aspect of engineering where we get to invent and create,” she said. “Just being able to use your imagination and use such powerful tools to bring that idea to life, that’s by far the most beautiful part of computer science.”
Before launching Data Pigeon, her first ever experience with entrepreneurship was in high school where she ran a small software business to create websites for clients. Through those experiences, she learned that technology could become a way to solve real-world problems.
“That’s what gets me up in the morning every single day,” she beamed. “Seeing problems and knowing where my skill set can fit into that and create a genuine difference.”
That mindset ultimately led to the creation of Data Pigeon.
Originally aiming to solve commuter parking issues, the startup went through nearly a year of failed ideas before the team discovered a stronger problem in need of a resolution within the electric vehicle industry. Today, Data Pigeon develops AI and machine learning models aimed to improve reliability in EV charging infrastructure after the team noticed how often charging stations malfunctioned.
The process was far from easy. Millawabandara described “product-market fit” — finding a problem that people genuinely need solved — as one of the most difficult parts of building a startup.
“There were some days where I wanted to give up so bad,” she shared. “But our whole team had so much grit, and we just kept on pushing through because we knew that eventually there was going to be light at the end of the tunnel.”
The team’s persistence eventually paid off. Earlier this year, Data Pigeon earned second place in the Sacramento Kings Capitalize: Next Gen competition, a regional startup competition for young innovators. They also received a $10,000 Energy and Sustainability sector award at the 2026 Big Bang! Business Competition hosted by the UC Davis Mike and Renée Child Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Finding Leadership Through Community
Much of Millawabandara’s growth at UC Davis happened through involvement in student organizations.
One of the most influential experiences came through the AI Student Collective, where she served as the director of technical education. She first joined the organization’s beginner projects cohort as a transfer student hoping to gain more hands-on experience.
As she became more involved in the organization, Millawanbandara eventually stepped into leadership roles of her own. The experience taught her that strong leadership begins with listening and creating space for others to grow.
“Another thing I learned about leadership is that people have so many incredible ideas if you just give them the space to talk and listen to them openly,” she said. “Creating an environment where ideas can thrive and where people uplift each other is so incredibly important.”
Millawanbandara acknowledged that leadership has pushed her outside of her comfort zone countless times.
“There’s been so many times where I’ve been so incredibly nervous [and] unsure about the future,” she revealed. “Inside I was totally freaking out, but I had to keep my head on because I’m leading a team, and I can’t be the one like that.”
Her experiences through student organizations also helped connect her with future collaborators, including Data Pigeon co-founder Suhani Shokeen, a fellow computer science student whom she first met through the beginner projects program.
Representing UC Davis On A Global Stage
Earlier this year, Data Pigeon was invited to attend the India AI Impact Summit 2026, where the startup presented its work alongside global leaders and innovators in the artificial intelligence industry. This was a moment of validation for Millawabandara and her team for their hard-earned recognition as university students stood alongside notable figures.
Showcasing Data Pigeon’s AI-driven technology, designed to improve reliability in electric vehicle charging infrastructure, Millawabandara and her team networked on a larger scale. They got the chance to speak with renowned founders, researchers and industry leaders while learning about emerging applications of AI in fields ranging from infrastructure to healthcare.
For Millawabandara, the experience felt surreal.
“I’ve just transferred here a year ago,” she shared. “To get to that point where I got to talk about my work on a global stage and be in the proximity of people like [Mark] Zuckerberg, Jensen Huang and the Prime Minister of India all in one place, it was so incredible.”
Millawabandara feels that representing UC Davis at the summit carried special meaning because of how much support she found at the university. For her, the school’s helpful faculty and diverse resources opened her eyes to plenty of opportunities for success. The summit became one of the defining moments of her college experience.
“Being able to represent such an amazing school on a global stage was a blessing for us because UC Davis has so much opportunity,” she said. “It is honestly such a gem.”
Looking Toward The Future
After UC Davis, Millawabandara plans to continue focusing on building Data Pigeon while pursuing new opportunities, including an upcoming internship at GenServe.AI, a healthcare technology company that develops artificial intelligence solutions for hospitals and health systems.
“Finding your space is what matters the most initially,” she said. “From there, both nurturing that space and then finding adjacent connections in that space is what’s important.”
