Every once in a while, I get an email from a startup that is so far from what I normally do that it makes me take notice. That happened this morning when I got an email from Andrew Coyle, founder of knofolio:
I came across one of your articles about start-ups and decided to contact you. I am building a website that bridges the gap between prospective art students age 15-18 and accredited art & design colleges by providing a learning platform that helps students develop a great portfolio. Let me know what you think
Interesting. Aside from running an art gallery for a few years, I know almost nothing about art. I especially am clueless about how art students apply and are accepted to universities. Here’s what I’ve learned about knofolio:
Marketing Startups: What problem are you trying to solve?
Andrew Coyle, KnoFolio: KnoFolio solves 2 problems.
- It helps prospective art students build an online portfolio and share it with top art & design colleges.
- It provides a channel for art & design colleges to find and communicate with talented aspiring artists.
Marketing Startups: How do people currently solve what you’re trying to fix with knofolio.net?
Andrew Coyle, KnoFolio: Currently accredited art & design colleges primarily reach out to prospective art students by physically going to high schools. This provides a large limitation to high schools that aren’t on an art college’s radar. It is also extremely time consuming to maintain relationships with hundreds of high schools.
From a prospective art student’s point of view, the mystique of the colleges intimidates them. It is hard for them to understand what is required to create a portfolio (the main requirement of a student application). What is even worse, they often fall victim to the for-profit (non-accredited) Art Institutes that intentionally confuse applicants.
There are no meaningful online art college preparatory platforms despite a stated need. There are many websites that help students fulfill admissions criteria for traditional colleges and universities. The platforms usually take the form of ACT/SAT E-learning. The ACT/SAT is the key differentiator in a student’s application for traditional colleges and universities, whereas the portfolio is the key differentiator in a student’s application for an AICAD school. KnoFolio will fill the demand for online portfolio development. It will be in a digital environment to free the student from the constraints of time and space. Students will have the ability to create a portfolio that meets the standards of AICAD (accrediting body) colleges without being hindered by economic or geographic constraints.
Marketing Startups: Where are you based?
Andrew Coyle, KnoFolio: KnoFolio is being built in Milwaukee, and plans to move operations to San Francisco.
Marketing Startups: What are your goals for the site?
Andrew Coyle, KnoFolio: KnoFolio goals:
- KnoFolio sign-up page generates 500 excited users- February 15th 2013
- KnoFolio successfully launches- February 20th 2013
- KnoFolio generates 1000 active users- Validated MVP- April 1st 2013
- KnoFolio gets funded- April 30th 2013
- KnoFolio develops a scalable and repeatable business model- July 30th 2013
- KnoFolio becomes a leader in online art & design education
Marketing Startups: What (if any) is your business model?
Andrew Coyle, KnoFolio: The business model is two sided: Prospective student pay a subscription rate & fees for courses. Art schools pay for prospective student data (niche lead generation). *It is free to sign-up and create a portfolio.
Marketing Startups: How are you going to market the site to get people to use it on both sides (both colleges and students)?
Andrew Coyle, KnoFolio: I have been in contact with many art & design colleges. They are enthusiastic about the project. I hope to primarily market the idea through word of mouth.
Marketing Startups: What’s your background?
Andrew Coyle, KnoFolio: Here is an article I wrote about KnoFolio. It details who I am and why I am creating KnoFolio.
