WIN Program Helps EdTech Startup Refine Its Business Concept

The Business Council of Westchester’s Westchester Innovation Network (WIN) helped an edtech startup refine its business concept by working with a local nonprofit organization.

Earlier this year the BCW WIN matched the startup Youthfully—now called Careerfully—with the Westchester Institute for Human Development (WIHD) to evaluate a platform offering free on-demand virtual coaching tailored to high school students as they navigate complex college and career decisions. During the pilot, CEO and co-founder Joel Nicholson realized that his platform should expand to coach students from high school through university because of a growing need for a more personalized approach in higher education.

“Students expect more from their universities to navigate their career outcomes—especially given the surging tuition costs in recent years,” said Nicholson. “We realized the same personalized coaching platform that delivered such impactful outcomes for our high school students could be repurposed for universities, fundamentally transforming their approach to career education.”

The BCW WIN is an initiative that invites companies from around the world to embed their products with BCW members to drive innovation and economic development in the county.

The Valhalla-based WIHD improves the lives of people with disabilities and vulnerable children through professional education, direct service provision, and innovative research. The Careerfully platform was offered to the organization’s employees.

“Careerfully is an innovative platform addressing the preparedness needs of high school students applying to secondary education. WIHD is committed to our employees and by providing holistic support, can only strengthen our benefits package to attract and retain employees,” said Danielle McFadden, the human resources manager at WIHD.

Nicholson noted that students who engage with Careerfully’s services are twice as likely to secure a job offer and earn, on average, $13,000 more in starting salaries than their peers. So far, Careerfully has delivered tens of thousands of coaching hours, and achieved a 99 percent satisfaction score with its users.

Careerfully is the latest BCW WIN participant to modify its business plan after collaborating with a local match.

“We launched the BCW WIN to help startups test and refine their business models before scaling them to larger markets,” said Marsha Gordon, the BCW’s president and CEO. “Careerfully’s evolution is proof that WIN is a successful platform for business development.”

Can Your Business Benefit from BCW WIN?

The Business Council of Westchester is committed to helping entrepreneurs bring their ideas to life through the support of its diverse business ecosystem in Westchester County through its BCW WIN initiative. Its network is composed of small and mid-sized companies, professional services firms, and non-profits along with several of the best-known brands in the world like IBM, Pepsico, MasterCard, Heineken, Danone, Morgan Stanley, and Regeneron. It also includes some of the largest hospitals and healthcare systems in the world and many colleges and universities. Click here for more information.