November 4th, 2008

As a Biomedical Engineer at the University of Wisconsin, the most challenging part of the curriculum was my senior design project. My team had the task of creating a “computer controlled multi-fluid IV delivery system.” Believe me; it was much more difficult than it sounds. The four of us had a mere 3 semesters worth of engineering knowledge under our belt. So how did we tackle it? We did what any good engineer does; we defined the problem, narrowed down a solution, and maintained persistence while continuously asking questions.

In 2006, when the idea to “spend a summer” creating a “study group website” was born, did I realize that it would turn into a full-time job requiring the tenacity and research skills of an oncologist? Heck no! But just like my senior design project, I knew a clear definition of the problem combined with some serious perspiration and asking a lot of questions, would lead to a great website for students. Luckily, this time I had 18 years of educational experience to back me up.

So what was the problem? Simple, no one had ever built a piece of software designed from the bottom-up. All the academic software that existed was built top-down: to help teachers better administer a course to students (think Blackboard, Desire2Learn, Angel, etc.) It was not designed to help students better learn the course material and collaborate together. Worse yet, it costs schools hundreds of thousands of dollars to license this software every year.

So why has there been top-down software for so long, but no bottom-up products? I believe the answer here is the laptop. When I was a college freshman, each of my classes had about 2 kids with laptops. When you walk into a classroom today, you may see 30%-50% of the students using laptops. If you enter a classroom in the law building, you might even see 100% of the students using laptops. Students are using computers to study, and not just in their dorm rooms. They take their computers (and the internet) with them everywhere, meaning the opportunity to collaborate online academically is finally a reality.

So what is the solution? An academic network built for students by students. I know it sounds cliché, but it’s true. Students are some of the most tech-savvy people around, so it’s only logical that they would benefit from a comprehensive online network that lets them create, organize, share and learn from digital content. It’s not about cheating or cutting class, it’s about collaborating, reducing the duplication of effort, learning more, knowing it longer and applying it better.

Just like my senior design project, we don’t have all the answers – not yet. But we’re working on it. We’re persistent, and we’re constantly asking our users what they need and want. So far, I think the results are fantastic. We’ve developed a unique piece of software that is so much more than just “sharing notes”. We hope to turn education on its head; shake it up a bit. After all, it’s one of the few remaining industries that has yet to be truly revolutionized by the internet. And that’s bound to change sooner than later.

-Christopher Klündt
Founder & President
StudyBlue.com

Tags: Academic Network, bottom-up, laptops, Startup, top-down

Posted in Academic Network, Startups | Tags: Academic Network, bottom-up, laptops, Startup, top-down
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