Every big startup once began as a small idea — often in a classroom, hostel room, or coffee shop. In this section, we feature inspiring stories of student founders who dared to take the first step. From their humble beginnings to the challenges they faced and the milestones they achieved, these journeys will show you what’s possible when ideas meet action.
Cofounders:
Suhitha Rao Boinapally https://www.linkedin.com/in/suhitha-rao-boinapally-4713a0235/
Siddhartha Thonti https://www.linkedin.com/in/thonti-siddhartha/
Location (City, Country): Hyderabad , India
Started: April, 2024
The Beginning
JoinEazy didn’t start as Joineazy. The founders first worked on an activity aggregator platform called Funkey. Over time, and after eight major pivots, they kept evolving based on what they learned. Each “aha” moment brought excitement — and sometimes doubt — but they kept going, searching for the idea that truly clicked.
In February 2025, they began laying the foundation for JoinEazy. Instead of rushing into development, they took a step back to validate their assumptions. Through deep user research, conversations with students, and honest feedback, they refined their idea until it solved a real problem.
The Challenges
Like most first-time founders, the JoinEazy team started out believing their first idea was a “million-dollar startup.” But reality quickly taught them that building a startup is not about forcing your assumptions into the world — it’s about listening to users and pivoting again and again until you find a real, validated problem worth solving.
Team changes were another major hurdle. At one point, a co-founder had to step away, leaving the team to rebuild, clear code legacy issues, and realign on their vision. Despite these setbacks, they refused to give up — each challenge became a reason to work harder.
The Pilot Stage
Fast forward to today — JoinEazy is running a semester-long pilot at Mahindra University. This is a crucial step for the team to observe early user behavior, validate their core assumptions, and refine the platform before scaling further.
The pilot is not just a test — it’s a chance to create a real-world impact on campus, gather meaningful feedback, and see what drives genuine adoption among students.
The Support System
JoinEazy credits a large part of their progress to the incredible support system around them — mentors at AIC- Mahindra and professors at Mahindra University. The university’s openness made experimentation easier and allowed them to validate ideas quickly.
Their families also played a huge role, believing in their vision, encouraging them to network, and giving them the confidence to take risks.
The Road Ahead
By this time next year, the team envisions JoinEazy as a fully validated platform with a successful pilot completed and collaborations established across multiple universities. Their goal is to onboard 20,000–30,000 students within the next year, building a thriving ecosystem where students can collaborate, connect, and engage in meaningful activities.
Why This Matters
JoinEazy’s story proves that entrepreneurship is not about having a single genius idea — it’s about staying curious, listening to users, and never giving up when challenges arise. Their journey shows students that building something meaningful from a dorm room is not just possible — it’s powerful.
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