Introduction to a Bright Idea
James Tedjamulia, a junior at Madison High School, never thought that his business idea would take him this far. With the help of artificial intelligence, he designed a concept to help people with dyslexia learn to read. This idea earned him top spots in two competitive rounds of Invest Nest, a business pitch competition for high school students across east Idaho.
The Concept: ReadBuddy AI
Tedjamulia’s concept, ReadBuddy AI, is a software that listens as users read and helps them pronounce difficult words. Over time, it could also generate personalized content based on a child’s reading level and age. The idea is to create content that the child wants to read, taking into account their age and reading level. For example, a fifth grader reading at a first-grade level would want to read something like "Captain Underpants" rather than "Miss Mittens".
The Journey to Invest Nest
Tedjamulia came up with the idea through conversations with his parents, particularly his dad, an AI expert at Western Governors University. His dad is teaching him how to build and train the AI. Tedjamulia discovered Invest Nest through announcements at school and encouragement from a teacher, Mrs. Barzee. He decided to pitch his idea and possibly get some money to build it.
The Competition
At the state round in Utah, James competed against students from seven schools. The first-place winner was talking to one of the judges that does a similar thing to what they pitched. The second-place winner had already done Invest Nest like three times. Despite being his first year, Tedjamulia did pretty well, taking third place and winning $5,000.
What Set Him Apart
What set Tedjamulia apart was his ability to connect with the judges. During the meet-and-greet, he got to talk with a couple of investors, and on stage, they asked questions that helped his business pitch. They were smiling the whole time, which made him feel more at ease.
The Pitch
Tedjamulia’s pitch wasn’t without hurdles. The same week as the final round, he was also playing in multiple tennis tournaments. His mom said he rushed his presentation a bit, but for the time he had, he thought it went really well.
The Future of ReadBuddy AI
Now with $10,000 in hand, Tedjamulia is focused on building ReadBuddy AI. Some of the money might go toward college, but most of it is going into the business. He isn’t sure yet if he’ll pursue this path long term, as he wants to go into engineering or the medical field. However, if the business kicks off, that might change everything.
Conclusion
Tedjamulia’s experience with Invest Nest was an awesome opportunity. He learned that you don’t have to have it all figured out, and you should just try it. You never know how far it’ll take you. With his idea and determination, Tedjamulia is an inspiration to other teens who have a passion for entrepreneurship and making a difference. His story shows that with hard work and the right support, anyone can turn their ideas into reality and achieve their goals.
