In Week 2 at the European Innovation Academy, we transformed ExamKoala from a concept into a functional prototype — capable of solving math problems, explaining each step, and adapting examples to the user’s interests. While the rest of the team worked on marketing concepts, I focused on building, testing, and refining. Insights from mentors like Patrícia Costa, André Florido, David Gallacher, and Gabriela Martínez shaped our brand identity, data collection, storytelling, and messaging. At the EIA Expo, the feedback was clear: this is a product people wish they had during their studies.

My first week at the European Innovation Academy in Porto was a crash course in problem-first entrepreneurship. In just five days, we went from an unvalidated logistics idea to a clear, real problem: learning math is frustrating and inefficient. Guided by mentors like Dennis DeMeyere (CTO Physna, ex-Google), we learned to fall in love with the problem, not the solution. We ran user interviews, drafted surveys, pivoted early, and built our first Python prototype with a clear multi-platform strategy. This week taught me that early validation, founder focus, and small testable steps are the foundation of any successful startup.