Fox Cities News

A recent achievement by two Lawrence University graduates has brought attention to their AI startup, Afforai. Alec Nguyen and Austin “Hung” Nguyen, both from the class of 2023, have been recognized on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Education list for their work with Afforai, an AI-powered citation manager.

The concept for Afforai began during their senior year at Lawrence University. The startup received a $100,000 investment from Sputnik ATX shortly after their graduation. Since then, Afforai has secured over $1 million in funding and anticipates generating $1.5 million in revenue for 2024. The tool is currently used by more than 100,000 researchers, writers, and students to manage references and conduct literature reviews.

Being featured on Forbes' list was significant for Alec Nguyen. "I knew we were on to something big right from the beginning," he stated. He noted that recognition from notable figures such as the CEO of Common App and a co-founder of Grammarly provided further motivation.

Both founders have international backgrounds; Alec spent much of his life in Japan before studying economics and data science in the United States, while Austin studied economics and computer science at Lawrence University. Their friendship began during their first year at university.

Their journey faced challenges due to tensions between AI technology and higher education institutions. Initially barred from presenting Afforai at a university competition due to its AI basis, they persevered by entering another competition regionally where they gained valuable experience despite not winning.

Alec remarked on how those who initially doubted them are now supportive of student entrepreneurship within Lawrence's programs: "That means a great deal." He sees Afforai as transformative personally: “To me, Afforai is a life-changing idea.”

Looking ahead to 2025, Alec expressed optimism about further growth for Afforai.