{"686904":{"#nid":"686904","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Design, Build, Launch: New CS Capstone Turns Students into Entrepreneurs","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFrom zero to working prototype in just four months, students in the College of Computing\u2019s new entrepreneurial Junior Design Capstone tackle real-world problems with guidance from startup mentors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELed by School of Computing Instruction faculty member and Georgia Tech alumna \u003Cstrong\u003EJennifer Whitlow\u003C\/strong\u003E, the course gives students a founder\u2019s perspective on building technology that meets real user needs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003EA Startup Approach to Junior Design\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnlike the traditional CS Junior Design course where teams work with sponsors, students in the entrepreneurial track act as their own clients. They begin the semester with no predetermined problem and follow a structured process, which is anchored by deliverables that reflect professional expectations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cStudents come in with nothing,\u201d Whitlow said. \u201cThey identify a problem, conduct customer discovery, realize which assumptions were wrong, refine their direction, figure out what to build and then build it. And they own it 100 percent.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECustomer-discovery interviews ensure every idea is grounded in real user needs, and the semester culminates in a fully functioning prototype paired with a written justification of the decisions behind it. This combination of development and reflection gives students a framework that mirrors startup practices.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003EExpert Alumni Coached and AI-Driven Development\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo further simulate a startup environment, Whitlow recruited alumni coaches with startup or executive experience. Coaches were paired with teams based on their areas of expertise, advising anywhere from one to four groups. The roster includes a former chief technology officer and longtime startup advisor, along with alumni startup founders.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStudents also incorporate AI tools into development, accelerating early prototype work while still making critical decisions themselves.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAI can accelerate the early stages,\u201d Whitlow said. \u201cBut students have to understand their design well enough to guide it. AI doesn\u2019t replace their decision-making.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003ETop Teams Earn CREATE-X Acceptance\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESixteen teams completed the entrepreneurial capstone this fall.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe top two scoring projects earned automatic acceptance into \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECREATE-X Launch\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Georgia Tech\u2019s startup accelerator:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECodeOrbit\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESonara\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese teams showcase the program\u2019s ability to quickly bring student ideas to a level that\u2019s ready for real-world startup incubation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003EPutting the Process into Action: Lunchbox\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne team that exemplifies how the capstone\u2019s structure supports innovation is LunchBox. Created by computational media major \u003Cstrong\u003EAbigail Rhea\u003C\/strong\u003E and her teammates, LunchBox helps parents and caregivers of neurodivergent children navigate limited safe-food options.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe idea evolved after early customer discovery revealed that the original concept had too much competition, so the team narrowed its focus.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cDuring research, one of our teammates came across a testimonial from the mother of an autistic child,\u201d Rhea said. \u201cIt spoke to all of us and helped us shift toward a truly underserved demographic.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team conducted more than 20 interviews with caregivers and special education teachers, reshaping its approach. \u201cWe realized families didn\u2019t need another daily task,\u201d Rhea said. \u201cThey needed personalized guidance that runs in the background. Everything we built came directly from those conversations.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team\u0027s biggest technical challenge was engineering a dynamic, emotionally supportive roadmap for food-exposure therapy. While AI accelerated development of SwiftUI code, all core decisions remained human-driven.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the Capstone Expo, attendees connected strongly with the project. \u201cSo many people told us how applicable LunchBox is to their lives,\u201d Rhea said. \u201cMost joined the waitlist. We couldn\u2019t be more excited for what\u2019s next.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003ELooking Ahead\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhitlow sees the pilot already fulfilling its purpose: giving students the tools and confidence to turn ideas into real ventures. Teams can continue work by applying to CREATE-X programs or building on their prototypes after the semester.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis course shows students they can create something real,\u201d Whitlow said. \u201cThat\u2019s the goal: empowering them to innovate.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Startup Approach to Junior DA Startup Approach to Junior Desi\u003C\/strong\u003EUnlike the traditional CS Junior Design course where teams work with sponsors, students in the entrepreneurial track act as their own clients. They begin the semester with no predetermined problem and follow a structured process, which is anchored by deliverables that reflect professional expectatio\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFrom zero to working prototype in just four months, students in the College of Computing\u2019s new entrepreneurial Junior Design Capstone tackle real-world problems with guidance from startup mentors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELed by School of Computing Instruction faculty member and Georgia Tech alumna \u003Cstrong\u003EJennifer Whitlow\u003C\/strong\u003E, the course gives students a founder\u2019s perspective on building technology that meets real user needs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"From zero to working prototype in just four months, students in the College of Computing\u2019s new entrepreneurial Junior Design Capstone tackle real-world problems with guidance from startup mentors."}],"uid":"36613","created_gmt":"2025-12-16 15:37:38","changed_gmt":"2025-12-16 15:51:16","author":"Emily Smith","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-12-16T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-12-16T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678848":{"id":"678848","type":"image","title":"Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0505.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ESCI\u0027s Jennifer Whitlow speaks with a team presenting at the new entrepreneur section of Junior Design Capstone. Photos by Terence Rushin\/ College of Computing.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1765899546","gmt_created":"2025-12-16 15:39:06","changed":"1765899546","gmt_changed":"2025-12-16 15:39:06","alt":"SCI\u0027s Jennifer Whitlow speaks with a team presenting at the new entrepreneur section of Junior Design Capstone. Photos by Terence Rushin\/ College of Computing.","file":{"fid":"262938","name":"Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0505.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0505.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0505.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4012374,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/16\/Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0505.jpg?itok=8E3MNYtC"}},"678849":{"id":"678849","type":"image","title":"Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0535.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EStudents present at the expo\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1765899546","gmt_created":"2025-12-16 15:39:06","changed":"1765899546","gmt_changed":"2025-12-16 15:39:06","alt":"Junior Design","file":{"fid":"262939","name":"Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0535.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0535.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0535.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5239182,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/16\/Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0535.jpg?itok=jwWKoDcO"}},"678850":{"id":"678850","type":"image","title":"Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0510.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ETeam Lunchbox created a prototype to help parents of neurodivergent children with safe foods. Photo by Terence Rushin\/ College of Computing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1765899546","gmt_created":"2025-12-16 15:39:06","changed":"1765899546","gmt_changed":"2025-12-16 15:39:06","alt":"Team Lunchbox created a prototype to help parents of neurodivergent children with safe foods. Photo by Terence Rushin\/ College of Computing. ","file":{"fid":"262940","name":"Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0510.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0510.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0510.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3303194,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/16\/Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0510.jpg?itok=7oVGZkI-"}},"678851":{"id":"678851","type":"image","title":"Image--12-.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ETeam CodeOrbit took first place at the Expo. Photo by Jennifer Whitlow.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1765899847","gmt_created":"2025-12-16 15:44:07","changed":"1765899847","gmt_changed":"2025-12-16 15:44:07","alt":"Team CodeOrbit took first place at the Expo. Photo by Jennifer Whitlow. ","file":{"fid":"262941","name":"Image--12-.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/Image--12-.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/Image--12-.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":192539,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/16\/Image--12-.jpeg?itok=h7JX9G11"}},"678852":{"id":"678852","type":"image","title":"Image--13-.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ETeam Sonara took second place at the Expo. Photo by Jennifer Whitlow.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1765899847","gmt_created":"2025-12-16 15:44:07","changed":"1765899847","gmt_changed":"2025-12-16 15:44:07","alt":"Team Sonara took second place at the Expo. Photo by Jennifer Whitlow. ","file":{"fid":"262942","name":"Image--13-.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/Image--13-.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/Image--13-.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":198161,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/16\/Image--13-.jpeg?itok=eC6e_Y2c"}},"678853":{"id":"678853","type":"image","title":"Image--14-.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWhitlow, who has years of experience working with startups, leads the new section of Junior Design Capstone. Photo by Kevin Beasley\/ College of Computing.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1765899847","gmt_created":"2025-12-16 15:44:07","changed":"1765899847","gmt_changed":"2025-12-16 15:44:07","alt":"Whitlow, who has years of experience working with startups, leads the new section of Junior Design Capstone. 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