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Andrew Yuan wasn’t set on following the traditional paths of investment banking or consulting. While his peers pursued well-worn careers in finance, he was more interested in exploring what else was out there. That curiosity led him to the Student Fellowship, where he discovered the startup world and found himself pitching an AI-powered learning tool in the Founders Challenge alongside 3 like-minded Student Fellows.

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Startmate: How did you first hear about the Student Fellowship?

Andrew: It kept popping up everywhere - through university clubs, on LinkedIn, and from people I knew who had done it before. After hearing about it so many times, I figured I should check it out.

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Startmate: What made you interested in entrepreneurship?

Andrew: I wanted to build something of my own and have control over the direction of my work. In traditional career paths, it can take years - sometimes decades - before you get to lead a project or make a real impact. Startups give you that opportunity much earlier.

I also wanted to explore beyond the obvious finance roles. When everyone in your course is heading toward the same handful of careers, it makes you wonder - what else is possible?

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Startmate: What did you love most about the Fellowship?

Andrew: The people. Meeting like-minded students who were also interested in startups and entrepreneurship was a highlight. Whether it was the online sessions or the in-person meetups, it was great to connect with others who were thinking differently about their careers.

The sessions and talks also completely changed my perspective. Going in, I wasn’t sure if startups were even worth the risk. But hearing from founders, I realized it’s not just about building the next unicorn - it’s about solving real problems, learning, and growing along the way.

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Startmate: Tell us about your Founders Challenge pitch!

Andrew: I ended up joining a team that was working on an AI-powered tool called EDI, designed to help university students study more efficiently. The idea came from another fellow, Evan, who had already started building an MVP. He posted in the Student Fellowship Slack that he was looking for teammates, and after chatting with him, I knew I wanted to be involved.

EDI takes lecture recordings and breaks them down into digestible, searchable chunks, helping students find key information quickly instead of scrubbing through hours of video. It also integrates AI-powered Q&A features to reinforce learning.

We made it to the top six finalists in the Founders Challenge, which was exciting, even though we didn’t win. It was a great experience to refine our pitch and get feedback.

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Startmate: Did any founders inspire you during the Fellowship?

Andrew: Melanie Perkins from Canva is a huge inspiration. She saw a problem - how difficult design tools were to use - and built something better. What I admire most is her persistence. She pitched Canva to hundreds of investors before getting a yes, and now it’s a global company.

Her story reminds me that solving real problems is what matters most, and that resilience is key.

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Startmate: Do you see yourself pursuing startups in the future?

Andrew: Definitely. Right now, my team is still working on EDI, and we’re hoping to launch a public version in the next few months. We don’t have everything formalized yet, but we’re figuring it out as we go.

In the longer term, I don’t know exactly what my path will look like, but I know I want to build something meaningful. Whether it’s EDI or another venture, I’m excited to keep learning and experimenting.‍

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Startmate: Any advice for students considering startups?

Andrew: Just give it a go. You don’t need to have everything figured out - just start exploring. The Student Fellowship is a great way to meet people, test ideas, and see if the startup world is for you.

And don’t stress about building the next big thing right away. Startups aren’t just about creating unicorns - they’re about solving problems, learning, and finding opportunities where others don’t see them.

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Andrew stepped into the startup world with an open mind, and it reshaped the way he thinks about his future. If you’re curious about building something of your own, the Student Fellowship is the perfect place to start. You don’t need all the answers - just a willingness to explore.

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