Shaun Pepper

REVIEW: I really understood the idea from your presentation. I am wondering what applications might already exist in this market that would compete and create a barrier to entry or intense competition. http://appadvice.com/appguides/show/book-cataloging-apps. This is not a criticism (many people are pursuing similar ventures as my venture pitch) I just think you need to be cognizant of how you differentiate yourself. Also, this isn't to say that your application wouldn't win over the others available in the market (think Myspace and Facebook), This is to say that competing in the app market is difficult because of the expectations of new features for free. After the app is downloaded there needs to be ways to add additional revenue streams. Maybe finding complimentary solutions or partnering with textbook or resources providers would allow you to work on a Pay Per Click model.

My personal opinion is that the general public should use the front-end side that smart code allows for. Smart code is great for everyday people who want to use the front-end side of an application but doesn't respect that people still need to be trained on back-end application. For the back end there needs to be a delivery method so people who are looking to gain skill full employment can get the skills needed to succeed in their career. My insight is that the industry will lean towards privatization. Here is a perfect example: https://stacksocial.com/sales/the-name-your-own-price-learn-to-code-bundle?aid=a-lj3950br I think compared to the other delivery methods this makes the most sense. I see 1 main reason for this. The rate of change in coding languages. Programming languages change quickly and the courses and information needs to adapt quickly. This means that new accreditation will be needed that is in a shorter cycle and offers people real-practical skills that are useful now. I think that private companies have the most motivation (financial gain) to keep a curriculum that is applicable to real-world applications. I think that all other not for private organizations may fail to keep current standards that students respect. This horizon exercise is definitely stimulating. The coding industry is interesting and extremely complex. It is made up of a bunch of different types of people who range from self-taught to university educated, from business minded to freelance artist. The problem with defining a delivery method or ideology is that there isn't a easily defined target market. This makes the experts in the field and companies wanting to hire employees all have different expectations of what is needed for the job. Creating a standardization for accreditation is a very difficult task.

When I look at this picture I always think of the time when my computer would quit word without it saving a backup and it was gone forever. Now when I am working on google drive it saves instantly and is accessible on all of my devices even my cell phone. All of this in less than 10 years. Im still blown away by that.

This is a perfect example of someone who started with no intention of becoming a venture and made a very successful venture by adding the right people and right group on investors, Khan academy went from someone teaching some people on YouTube to an Ed-Tech Icon. I would definitely invest in this venture.

Having previously taught the IB Design and Technology course I could see these being a hit with students. I like the ability to just experiment and create. I thought that Ayah handled questions confidently and knew what she was talking about. I liked her pitch it showed me that she knew her market and understood her place in it. She also mentioned that the company has been around since 2008, this communicates that the idea is viable and the company is probably currently seeking another round of investing. If I was an angel investor who was coming in at this later round and I knew more about the financials, I would feel confident investing in this venture.

Show me the money...She did not mention any value added to an investor. I understand, like most people, that she wants to make a difference in the world. However, I need to see how the venture will sustain itself to pay for the people who are going to turn this dream into reality. If anyone is interested in an app for language acquisition I would encourage them to check out Duolingo. I have all my private business students use it on a daily basis. It provides a solution (for free) to all the pain points mentioned.

This was a very strong pitch. It was clear and concise and I immediately understood the venture. Despite the great pitch, I don't think that this venture is viable. It seems that all of these tools except a publishing editor can be done for free using existing open software. After that, the cooperative book can be published using a regular book-publishing company. Not for me.

I am confused what he is offering here. I don't understand this venture. How will he update the former text books? Won't E-textbooks have self-updating systems within their own app stores? I just don't see the viability in a company paying for this service when it is easily integrated into their own e-textbooks.

This reminds me of a grading rubric. I like this because it effectively communicates your thoughts in a simplistic manner. The audience, already having knowledge about the criteria, can quickly scan and understand your opinion.

I think that this is a natural progression for google. I like the idea very much. I have been waiting for a google apps framework that has been designed with educators in mind that has respect of privacy and no advertising. I am excited to use this with my students!