Northern Virginia students build AI tool to help aspiring entrepreneurs

A group of Arlington, Virginia, students has launched a website aimed at removing barriers for aspiring entrepreneurs.

The idea came from the trio鈥檚 desire to enter the Build with Gemini XPRIZE contest, a Google competition that challenges participants to build a functioning AI-powered business.

After interviewing small business owners in their Northern Virginia neighborhood, Leo Fall, Chase Rosen and Carter Eckle identified obstacles to starting a business. They found that obtaining an LLC and tax identification number, along with completing large amounts of paperwork can take so long that it discourages some would-be entrepreneurs.

“So we came up with starting our own business launcher for those who are interested in starting a business, but don’t really know the process of how to or are a little scared of that first step,” said Rosen, a rising junior at the University of Virginia.

Called , the website uses an AI model that requires minimal information from aspiring entrepreneurs. Users enter the name they want for their business and describe some of their ideas.

Then, within three days, the site provides an LLC, identification number, a professional website and Stripe account ready to accept payments.

“A lot of business owners maybe drop their business idea because they think it’s too hard to start,” said Fall, a rising junior at Virginia Tech University. “The goal for us, we wanted to make it an easy option where they could just sign up, get selling right away.”

The site charges a one-time $350 fee, which includes the $100 Virginia state filing fee, Rosen said. Unlike comparable services, LaunchBridge doesn鈥檛 require a subscription service.

Because there鈥檚 sensitive information involved, Fall said they review the parts of the process that involve artificial intelligence.

“We used a lot of encoding and all this information doesn’t go anywhere but on your computer, in our system and then it deletes itself after we apply for it,” Fall said. “It’s all very safe. It’s safer than it would be with a human.”

Eckle, a rising senior at H-B Woodlawn high school, said the biggest challenge was “figuring out which pieces we wanted to offer because there鈥檚 a lot different things in starting a business.”

Some of their peers have tested the site, including one who wants to start a business booking bands to perform for college parties.

“A lot of them didn’t know what it actually took to start a business in Virginia and they said this made it super easy and simple,” Rosen said.

The platform is designed primarily for entrepreneurs starting businesses in Virginia, However, Rosen said Maryland and D.C. residents can use it too, because it provides a registered agent.

“It just kind of gives them that head start of like, ‘OK, I have all my resources needed and now I can actually start promoting my product,'” he said.

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