January Wrap-Up: Verse Milestones, Pitch Preparations, and Tax Tasks

Celebrating a month of achievements with Verse, gearing up for pitch events, and closing out BX Coding's tax year.

Hello and welcome back! It's the last day of January, and what a month it's been. From making strides with Verse to preparing for high-stakes pitch competitions, the start of 2025 has been nothing short of exhilarating. As always, disclaimer: I talked for 10 minutes and then had AI generate this post, which I then edited lightly.

Verse Milestones: We've officially hit the one-month mark since launching Reverse Realtime on December 30th, 2024. In just 31 days, we've accomplished so much. Our demo is live, and we've garnered a waitlist, secured pilot program participants, and entered the Microsoft Imagine Cup. Elliot has been working tirelessly, putting in upwards of 50-60 hours a week, while I juggle about 30 hours alongside my school commitments. It's been a whirlwind, but we're pushing forward with full force.

Georgia Tech Adventure Prize: Today, Elliot is pitching at the Georgia Tech Adventure Prize, a preliminary round in a large auditorium setting. He's utilizing a podcast-style setup to engage attendees in teaching the AI about the difference between correlation and causation—a common misconception. This interactive approach not only showcases our technology but also deepens understanding of this key concept. Though I'm unable to be there in person, I'm cheering him on from afar.

Microsoft Pitch Preparation: We're also gearing up for the Microsoft pitch, having practiced with Elaine Chen to refine our three-minute pitch and two-minute demo. The platform has seen several enhancements over the past week, and we're excited to present our progress. Additionally, I'm meeting with Will Trevor from Yale to explore potential applications for Verse in their online programs and gather valuable feedback.

IRB and Research Collaboration: Efforts are underway to move forward with Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval for research studies involving Verse. We're engaging with professors to collaborate on studies that could further validate our tool's impact in educational settings. It's a complex process, but one that holds promise for expanding our reach and influence.

BX Coding Tax Wrap-Up: On the administrative front, I've filed all 2024 employment taxes for BX Coding, marking the end of a significant chapter with our summer camps. As we prepare for what's next in 2025, it's satisfying to see the culmination of our efforts over the past year. One more 990 form remains, but the bulk of our employment-related tasks is now behind us.

Classes and my capstone project are progressing well, and I'm managing to balance everything amidst the excitement. Looking forward to what February brings!

Toodles.