Start-ups are living, breathing entities who, by observing alone, we can learn so much from. Then imagine how much we can learn by actually participating in everything that they do. That's the experience Reading Right is offering through its Shadow A Startup programme. You see, the Kolkata-based start-up that used to conduct classes on how to read newspapers in educational institutions is at an interesting juncture. They are beta-testing an app that can change the way you read articles. This is why it is so much more important to 'shadow' it now.
But first, this is what they are doing
You know how we have some news articles saved in the hope that we will read them later. We do so because they are either too long or require us to Google every second term we come across. If all goes well with Reading Right's plan, we won't have to do that anymore. You see, they are developing an app where important articles will be divided into the field it falls under, like economics, psychology, legal and so on. The article will have a short backgrounder video full of infographics just two to three minutes long. For example, if it's about Yes Bank, it will give you a background on what banking looks like, state of private banks, why they are in the news and so on. Then there are the colours. For the words highlighted in blue, you can see their meaning and if there is a conceptual word it will be highlighted in red and by clicking on it you can understand the meaning. Every line that needs more explaining will have a question mark at the end. And also, the article will end with an explainer video. "The idea is to get people to read more. Though we are venturing into the field of explanatory journalism, we are also an EdTech," says Shrishti Jain, Founder of Reading Right. Can you imagine shadowing such a start-up? Oh, the things you'll learn.
Be a part of something big
Reading Right, which was started in 2013, approached over 100 colleges (they have a vast network when it comes to education institutions) two months ago with the proposal that for six months, students applying for placements can shadow their start-up and understand, up close and personal, the working of a start-up. And because they deal with diverse domains, the scope was huge. "We are all a bunch of youngsters, our Chief Procurement Officer is just 22, and we are a happy and hard-working bunch," says the 29-year-old, describing the congenial atmosphere of their start-up. The experience that they offer in return is end-to-end. Right from hiring to product development, the chosen one can be a part of everything. "Since we are an early-stage start-up, there is a lot of activity going on and we understand that mistakes happen. But what we emphasise on is turning it around in time," says the youngster. And from the 100 colleges, they hand-picked 14 students from XLRI, IIM Trichy, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Udaipur, BITS, Christ University and many such prestigious institutions. Woah!
"There will be no hypothetical experiences, the youngsters will experience everything!" asserts Shrishti. Not only will they be a part of problem-solving, they are also open to working on anything that will improve their upcoming app, right from scratch and if approved, the start-up might take it up for beta-testing. "All the time, we will serve as strong support to them. Because we have been there and done that, we will be able to guide them better. It is a completely holistic experience," she says. Though now all the 14 are to join remotely, the experience will in no way be diluted.
After the six months conclude, depending on the performance, Reading Right might just absorb the students into the organisation. Now you might be bummed to read that they have closed their applications for Shadow A Startup. But wait! They have opened up the stage for school students now! "The orientation of school students won't be any different from the ones who have just graduated. Just that they might not be involved in something very technical, like finance. But apart from that, they will not be treated any differently," she assures. So all you school students, the applications close on December 6 for you to apply. So hurry up and bon chance.
For more on them, check out readingright.in
