Prem Kumar, Informatics ’06, has spent the last decade using data to create more efficient and equitable experiences for employers and job candidates. In 2020, Kumar founded Humanly.io, a company that bridges automated chat interactions and AI-powered virtual interview analytics for high-volume hiring.

Humanly works with organizations such as Microsoft, the World Bank, the Seattle Storm and Worldwide Flight Services. The company won Geekwire's "UX Design of the Year" award in 2022 and was one of Seattle’s first companies to be accepted into the Y Combinator accelerator.

Personally, Kumar has given back to the Seattle entrepreneurial and information community through mentorship via Techstars, Venture Out and Y Combinator. He was recently named a Forbes "Next 1000" awardee and one of the top 100 HR influencers by HR Weekly.

Kumar says: “So many iSchool faculty have inspired me through my journey: Mariko Navin, who introduced me to Informatics; Dowell Eugenio, who inspired me along the way; Hala Annabi, who brought an energy to her course work I will never forget; and Matthew Saxton, who inspired me [toward receiving] the William E. Henry Scholarship in Informatics.

“In work life, I continue to be impacted by my iSchool connections, including being mentored by and employing iSchool alums.”