AI + No-Code: How Thunkable Supercharges Student Creativity and Problem-Solving with Arun Saigal

Aug 25, 2025

Arun Saigal, Co-Founder and CEO of Thunkable, is on a mission to empower creators through no-code mobile app development. He discusses how Thunkable evolved from an MIT project to a global platform, helping students create real apps for professional portfolios. The role of generative AI is spotlighted, showcasing its ability to enhance creativity and problem-solving in education. Learn about inspiring student stories and the transformative impact of mobile apps, all while engaging learners in today's tech-driven world.

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INSIGHT

Education Tool Became Real-World Platform

Thunkable evolved from MIT block-based research into a robust no-code platform that serves both students and enterprises.
Making the tool enterprise-capable reinforced its value for education by producing real, publishable apps students can use as credentials.

ANECDOTE

High School Dice Game Turned Side Income

Two cousins in Oregon built a virtual dice game in school using Thunkable and published it to the Play Store.
Their app earned about $4,000 a month and turned them into local entrepreneurs and lifelong creators.

INSIGHT

Mobile First Lowers The Learning Barrier

Mobile is the natural entry point for learners because phones are where students already live and have hardware access.
Instant, phone-based results help students see value quickly and sustain motivation to keep building.

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Arun Saigal is the Co-Founder and CEO of Thunkable, the no-code platform where anyone — from students to startups to enterprise teams — can build powerful, native mobile apps. With an intuitive drag-and-drop interface and integrated Gen AI tools, Thunkable empowers creators to go from idea to real, publishable app without writing a single line of code. Arun has an S.B. and M.Eng. in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering from MIT and has held various leading roles at technology companies, including Quizlet, Khan Academy, Aspiring Minds, and Google.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode

How Thunkable evolved from an MIT project into a global no-code platform.
The unique cycle between educational and enterprise use of Thunkable.
Ways students are building professional portfolios by publishing real apps.
The role of generative AI in accelerating creativity and problem-solving.
Why meeting learners “where they are” drives deeper engagement in EdTech.

✨ Episode Highlights

[00:02:27] The origins of Thunkable: from Scratch-inspired tools to no-code apps.
[00:05:23] How a platform for students became popular with Fortune 500 companies.
[00:10:15] Real classroom stories: from Spanish teachers to student entrepreneurs.
[00:18:31] The leap from “idea to real” and why mobile is the perfect entry point.
[00:23:39] Seeing your own app on your phone: the paradigm shift for students.
[00:31:43] Teachers building custom AI-powered apps for their classrooms.
[00:34:43] Combining AI features—speech, vision, LLMs—into powerful student tools.
[00:42:57] Lessons from Arun’s career at Quizlet, Khan Academy, and Google.
[00:50:12] The next wave of EdTech: custom learning, AI co-pilots, and empowerment.

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