17-Year-Old Leads Right to Repair Push in Michigan

Surya Raghavendran started his own electronics repair business and is now advocating for Right to Repair legislation.

Apr. 20, 2026 at 8:41am

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A highly detailed, glowing 3D macro illustration of the disassembled components of a smartphone, including circuit boards, processors, and screens, all illuminated by vibrant neon cyan and magenta lights, conceptually representing the complex inner workings of modern consumer electronics and the fight for the right to repair.A young tech activist's fight to empower consumers and small businesses in the right-to-repair movement.Ann Arbor Today

Surya Raghavendran, a 17-year-old high school senior in Ann Arbor, Michigan, started his own electronics repair business after fixing his own broken iPhone screen. Inspired by the experience, Surya is now leading the push for Right to Repair legislation in Michigan, creating a petition and reaching out to state legislators.

Why it matters

Surya's story highlights the growing grassroots movement for Right to Repair, which aims to make it easier for consumers to fix their own devices rather than being beholden to manufacturers. This issue has implications for reducing e-waste, promoting small businesses, and empowering individuals to take control of their technology.

The details

After breaking his iPhone screen and being dissatisfied with the high cost of Apple's repair service, Surya taught himself how to fix the screen using YouTube tutorials and third-party parts. This inspired him to start his own electronics repair business, SKR Screen Repair, where he offers affordable screen replacements using OEM-grade parts. As Surya learned more about planned obsolescence and the repair restrictions imposed by tech companies, he decided to get involved in the Right to Repair movement, reaching out to a state senator and starting a petition to introduce legislation in Michigan.

  • Two years ago, Surya's iPhone 5c screen was shattered when it fell out of his pocket during a run.
  • In April 2026, Surya read about iOS 11.3 bricking iPhone 8 devices with aftermarket screens, which further motivated him to get involved in the Right to Repair movement.

The players

Surya Raghavendran

A 17-year-old high school senior in Ann Arbor, Michigan who started his own electronics repair business and is now leading the push for Right to Repair legislation in the state.

Senator Rebekah Warren

A Michigan state senator who responded to Surya's outreach and encouraged him to start a petition for Right to Repair legislation.

Nathan Proctor

A prominent figure in the repair community who has voiced support for Surya's Right to Repair petition.

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What they’re saying

“People think it's way too complicated to fix their own devices. They think that the engineers and PhDs who make the phones are way above them.”

— Surya Raghavendran, High school senior and repair advocate

“Surya's petition to introduce Right to Repair legislation in Michigan has over 700 signatures to date, and it's garnered support from Nathan Proctor and other prominent figures in the repair community.”

— Nathan Proctor, Repair community leader

What’s next

Surya plans to interview small businesses about how Right to Repair legislation would affect their work, both positively and negatively. He wants to use these interviews to create YouTube videos that will generate more support for getting a Right to Repair bill on the state legislature's agenda.

The takeaway

Surya's story demonstrates the power of grassroots activism and individual initiative in driving change around important technology policy issues like the Right to Repair. His experience fixing his own device and starting a repair business has given him unique insights that he is now leveraging to advocate for legislative reform, showing how young people can make a real impact on the issues that matter to them.