Success Story: The Collegiate Writer
Melanie Obitz-Bukartek, Ph.D., the founder and CEO of The Collegiate Writer, is on a mission to transform the landscape of writing instruction through innovative technology. Her groundbreaking product, the College Essay App, aims to bridge the educational disparity in the college application process. Together with the SBDC, Melanie has reached significant milestones, including securing a Startup 302 award and being selected for a YouTube reality show for entrepreneurs.
Revolutionizing Writing Instruction: The Collegiate Writer is dedicated to democratizing access to quality writing guidance. Their product, the College Essay App, utilizes advanced AI technology to provide personalized 24/7 assistance to high school students. Unlike Chat GPT, their artificial intelligence is trained to mirror high-quality instructional moves, helping students craft compelling college application essays while building their writing skills. By offering this innovative software, Melanie hopes to foster educational equity and open up more opportunities for students nationwide.
Success at the Start-Up 302 Competition: Recently, The Collegiate Writer’s College Essay App secured an impressive second place at the renowned Start-Up 302 competition. This win brought them a $13,000 prize, which will be utilized to develop the minimum viable product (MVP) for testing. The company has already formed partnerships with two high schools and two nonprofit organizations, which will serve as pilot locations for the app. These collaborations will provide valuable insight and feedback, allowing The Collegiate Writer to refine their platform and better cater to students’ needs.
The Blox: A Platform for Entrepreneurship Melanie was invited to appear on Season 11 of “The Blox,” a YouTube reality show dedicated to allowing entrepreneurs to refine their products. “The Blox” will provide an incredible opportunity for The Collegiate Writer to gain exposure. The Delaware SBDC’s Role: Throughout her start-up journey, Melanie has received expert guidance from Elyce Hall, a Technology Advisor from the SBDC. With their combined experience and expertise, The Collegiate Writer has been able to continue developing for the better. The SBDC team also helped ensure that all necessary components were in place for their Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) application. Elyce Hall played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s business strategy.
“Their guidance has been a welcome resource for the development of College Essay App. [Hall's] assistance in pitch preparation was insightful and her advice about patent applications for the app’s scalability and longevity has been invaluable.”
The Collegiate Writer is revolutionizing writing instruction through their College Essay App. With the support of the Delaware SBDC, they have secured a significant start-up award, formed partnerships with key educational institutions, and are set to make a splash on the global stage with their appearance on “The Blox.” The Collegiate Writer’s commitment to educational equity and access to quality guidance continues to be the company’s driving force.
Request Advising link to meet with an Advisor: https://delawaresbdc.org/request-advising/
