FrontRow Notes
University of Texas at Austin, McCombs School of Business
Industry: EdTech
Founding Student Name(s): Avery Neale, Aarushi Lakhi, Kailer Laino, Riya Chalke, Miranda Rinaldi, and Aubin Miles
Brief Description of Solution: FrontRow Notes is an intelligent note-taking platform that automatically zooms into the presenter’s region of interest, ensuring students never miss critical content. It includes built-in tools to adjust contrast, capture screenshots, and organize notes in real time. The platform enhances visibility, reduces cognitive load, and creates a more inclusive learning environment. By combining accessibility with efficiency, it allows students to remain fully engaged in class without falling behind.
Funding Dollars: $20,000
What led you to launch this venture? FrontRow began during my first large engineering lecture. The professor was writing on the chalkboard so quickly that I could not keep up. In high school, I could catch up at the end of class, but in college the pace was too fast. I realized that the strategies I relied on were no longer enough.
I tried tracking handwriting with pens, experimenting with classroom cameras, and other small fixes. None of them truly worked. After testing and interviewing other students, I built a solution that could realistically help the most people.
Before this, learning felt exhausting. I often took more than one hundred photos per class, left early, or skipped entirely because keeping up felt impossible. I could not ask questions fast enough to learn in real time. FrontRow began as a personal solution, but it became a way to make classrooms more accessible for many students like me.
What has been your biggest accomplishment so far with venture? One of the most meaningful moments happened during a pilot at Copenhagen Business School. I was using FrontRow when a few friends saw it and asked to try it. We were in the middle of a fast in-class Kahoot game, where seeing the board clearly mattered.
Watching their faces light up as they realized how much easier it made the class felt powerful. It showed that the product had real impact beyond me. That moment made everything tangible. It proved the solution resonated with others who also needed a better way to learn.
How has your business-related major helped you further this startup venture? McCombs has been instrumental to my journey, not just through classes but through its network. The school introduced me to mentors, classmates, and faculty who have supported me at every stage.
Whether I was struggling with financial modeling, refining a pitch, or just needing someone to talk through an idea, there was always someone ready to help. That level of support is unique to McCombs and a big reason I chose to pursue my double major.
Which business class has been most valuable in building your startup and what was the biggest lesson you gained from it? The Herb Kelleher Forty Acres Founders Practicum gave me space to build alongside other founders and learn from experienced entrepreneurs. A speaker from Blinds.com told us not to overthink and to act as researchers. That advice shifted my mindset from perfection to iteration and learning.
Financial Entrepreneurship with Professor Bart Bohn also helped me a great deal. Finance was something I felt uncertain about. His class made it approachable and realistic. It gave me the confidence to make decisions clearly and carefully.
What business professor made a significant contribution to your plans and why? Professor Robert Prentice made a lasting impact on how I lead. His class focused on values, integrity, and moral courage. He opened discussions that forced me to reflect on who I wanted to be when things became difficult.
At that time, I was facing hard personal choices. His example reminded me that leadership is not only about strategy but also about character. That lesson continues to guide me as I grow FrontRow.
What founder or entrepreneur inspired you to start your own entrepreneurial journey? How did he or she prove motivational to you? I often joke and say “Mark Zuckerberg,” but the truth is I didn’t grow up seeing many entrepreneurs who looked like me. My real inspiration came from the women in my life, my grandma, my mom, and my sister.
My grandma raised a family with strength and love. My mom was the first in her family to graduate college. My sister was the first to go out of state to Berkeley to study engineering. None of them followed traditional entrepreneurial paths, but each of them made bold choices that shaped how I see myself.
They’ve supported me from lemonade stands to pitch competitions, and they’ve always believed in me, even when my ideas sounded outlandish. Their unwavering support taught me to take risks, knowing that if I fall, I’ll have people to catch me.
What is your long-term goal with your startup? My long-term goal is to continue building assistive technology that makes the world more accessible. Whether that’s in education or a completely different industry, I want to keep creating solutions that remove barriers and give people the tools to thrive.
FrontRow has shown me that success isn’t just measured in revenue, it’s measured in impact.
How has your local startup ecosystem contributed to your venture’s development and success? Austin’s startup ecosystem has been foundational to FrontRow’s growth.
Through the Social Entrepreneurship Learning Lab (SELL), I gained time and structure to ideate and test early concepts. The Kendra Scott Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute (KSWELI) gave me a powerful network of women mentors who inspired and supported me. And the Forty Acres Founders program surrounded me with peers and mentors who constantly pushed me to aim higher.
Each program built a layer of community around me, proving that even if I fail, I won’t be alone. That support has been one of the greatest motivators in building FrontRow.
DON’T MISS: MOST DISRUPTIVE BUSINESS SCHOOL STARTUPS OF 2025
© Copyright 2026 Poets & Quants. All rights reserved. This article may not be republished, rewritten or otherwise distributed without written permission. To reprint or license this article or any content from Poets & Quants, please submit your request HERE.
