An Update from the Nectir Team

Hello from the Nectir Team! We wanted to check in with you and give you an update on what we’ve been working on for the past few months, as well as our plans for the future. It’s officially been a year since we’ve begun working on Nectir, so we thought it would be a good time to reflect on how far we’ve come and share the inside scoop on what you can look forward to.

Let’s go back to the beginning.

A little over a year ago, we realized that there was a serious problem on campus regarding communication within our classes. Why were we paying thousands of dollars to attend one of the most prestigious universities in the world just to use outdated technology like Gauchospace forums that didn’t solve our problems anyways? We saw how much easier life could be if our classes implemented modern technology rather than relying on age old teaching methods that clearly don’t work anymore. The passion to add value to our own education led us to create Nectir. It began as a platform that connected students in the same classes so that they could answer each other’s questions, share resources, and control their own educational experiences. In trying to create the perfect tool, we started with an app that then transformed into a fully integrated online workspace that better reflected the tech that students already use in their classes. We learned so much from working with our team of developers, and discovered a lot of “what not to do” along the way. In the last quarter, we’ve had the privilege of working with a group of mentors, investors, and UCSB faculty to further develop our brand and product into a tool that has the power to change the culture of class communication. We discovered that Nectir is needed not only by students, but also Professors and TA’s who need more effective methods of communicating with students and getting real-time feedback from them. Nectir has thus grown from a student-centric social app to an educational platform that caters to the needs of an entire university.

So where are we now?

We are now working with dedicated faculty members, Professors, and Gauchospace engineers to create an integration that will allow Nectir to be added onto Gauchospace and other Learning Management Systems. Imagine opening up your GS and automatically being added into your class group chats where you’re instantly connected with classmates, TA’s, and Professors. No more useless forums, no more missed emails, just quick, easy, and effective communication. Nectir is currently being pilot tested by multiple classes within the Communication department, and is set to be expanded into various online summer courses and even a Graduate level course. We’re so excited at the progress we’ve made and plan to continue expanding until every student has the opportunity to elevate their learning experience.

In addition, we’ve had the incredible opportunity to be selected to participate in TMP 149 this quarter, a market validation course part of the NVC program that is taught by a team of experienced investors and mentors. With their guidance, we’ve been able to connect with various leaders in the Educational Technology industry and take Nectir to the next level. We’re also working hard to develop our product and company so that we can take the New Venture Competition by storm and make our mentors proud. You will hopefully be seeing us at the New Venture Fair and Finals in May alongside other UCSB startups!

Our takeaways on this life altering experience.

Above all, we’ve learned that there is nothing more fulfilling in life than dedicating your time and energy to creating a real change in your community. We’ve had so many eye opening moments that have changed our life forever in our journey to develop Nectir and grow it into the product we know it can be. While we still have a long way to go, we would like to take this moment to thank the countless people who have had faith in us and trusted in our vision enough to get us to this point. An even bigger thank you goes to our interns and the Nectir Team who have worked tirelessly to adapt the product and make it the best it can be. We are so excited for the future of Nectir not only at UCSB, but at every university campus across the nation. There will be a day not too far from now when Nectir is the first thing that comes to mind when it comes to communicating within your classes, and we can’t wait for it.