Pratik Ainapure, 29
Associate Engineering Manager
Catalyx
Newtown, PA, United States
What Makes Pratik an Engineering Leader
During a company realignment within Catalyx’s North American Vision and Factory Automation group, Pratik took the initiative to step into a management role. He had previously developed custom automation solutions for clients, mentored and led junior engineers, and sourced and coordinated the onboarding of new vendors.
Today, Pratik leads a team of seven cross-disciplinary engineers who oversee the development, design, build and delivery of custom robotic and vision equipment for pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers.
Leadership & Industry Contributions
Pratik consistently demonstrates strong leadership through his work ethic and ability to delegate effectively. Because custom automation equipment design rarely follows a fixed template, every project presents unique challenges and benefits from a diverse range of perspectives.
Pratik balances giving his team the freedom to approach design problems in their own ways with providing timely, constructive feedback that keeps projects on schedule. This approach empowers team members to grow and contribute meaningfully while ensuring deadlines are met without sacrificing the quality or creativity of the final solution.
Pratik also leads Catalyx’s training program for new graduate employees. Having once been a new hire himself, he recognized opportunities to strengthen the training foundation for engineers entering the automation field. Drawing on that firsthand experience, he redesigned the program to provide broader exposure to electrical, mechanical, software and regulatory topics. This approach helps new graduates develop well-rounded skill sets early in their careers rather than a narrow understanding of the field.
Why Pratik Chose This Career
Pratik chose to pursue electrical engineering because of a high school assignment. He was tasked with designing and building a DC motor from scratch that could meet a specified horsepower output.
Translating his classroom knowledge into hand-coiling wire that would carry an induced current within a magnetic field was challenging but rewarding. Seeing electromagnetic forces at work felt like seeing magic, furthering his interest in understanding the forces at play in the devices people interact with every day.
