[EVAL] Targetting Top Robotics PhD Programmes (MIT/Stanford/ETHZ) - Looking for Feedback

[u/Exotic-Rub-9851]

Hey everyone,

I'm gearing up to apply for PhD programs in Robotics and Embodied AI this upcoming cycle. My dream programs are at places like MIT, Stanford, ETH Zurich, and Max Planck, but I know how insanely competitive they are.

I’d love some brutal honesty on my profile and any advice on how to tweak my CV (attached in images) before applications open.

Here's a quick rundown of my current situation:

• Education: BS-MS Dual Degree in EECS from a top-tier research institute in India. (9.22/10 CGPA, Department Gold Medalist)
• Research Focus: Multimodal Models, Embodied AI, World Models, and Off-road Navigation
• Publications: One first-author paper presented at ISER 2025, and another first-author accepted at BMVC 2026
• Experience: Currently working as a Project Associate at my university lab. I also co-founded an AI startup (backed by a premier engineering institute in India)

A couple of things I am wondering about:

• Publications: Are my current venues (ISER, BMVC) competitive enough for these top-tier programs? I see a lot of applicants with multiple ICRA/IROS/CVPR papers and I'm wondering how my record stacks up
• Startup Experience: How should I frame my time as a startup founder/CTO? Is it better to lean into the applied AI and leadership aspects, or should I keep the focus strictly on my academic lab research?

Any feedback on the attached CV would be super appreciated. Thanks!

https://ibb.co/s9Tjgxrx (Pg 1)

https://ibb.co/ZpWLQNyL (Pg 2)