About Us

OpenStudy is a social study network for students; a place where you can get together with buddies online, just like you would in the library or coffee shop, and work together on assignments, test prep or whatever else you want to study. We believe that you should be able to study whenever you want and with whomever you want and, above all, that the more social studying becomes, the better you learn. Our belief is that students can teach other students and whether you want to give help or get help in your studies OpenStudy will match you up.

Our story began with a group of professors and students from Georgia Tech and Emory University in Atlanta. Having secured funding from some very nice people at the National Science Foundation and Georgia Research Alliance who shared our vision, we tested our product in the Spring of 2009 and rolled out a public beta later that year. Like any other successful start-up, we work very hard, have fun, and believe in what we do. It's a lot easier when you have a great vision: we want to change the way the world learns.

OpenStudy is a social learning network where students ask questions, give help, and connect with other students studying the same things. Our mission is to make the world one large study group, regardless of school, location, or background.

OpenStudy uses AI recommendation engines to match students, and really real-time technologies to facilitate online interaction. It's like walking into a library or coffee shop and finding just the right group of students who can help you with what you're studying right now or someone struggling with a problem who could really use your help…halfway across the globe.

OpenStudy was founded in 2007 by Ashwin Ram, a Georgia Tech professor, Preetha Ram, an Emory University dean, and their former student and CTO Chris Sprague who returned to Atlanta after a stint in the Valley. They were joined by serial entrepreneur and now CEO, Phil Hill, along with a team of smart students from Georgia Tech and Emory who, after feeling your pain, devoted the last two years of their lives making your study experience less lonely and more productive.

OpenStudy is a for profit business funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the Georgia Research Alliance. We're located at Georgia Tech's ATDC Center in Technology Square, Midtown Atlanta.

Like any successful startup, we work hard, have fun, and believe in what we do. We invite you to use us, join us, and spread the word. We want to change the way the world learns, and we'd love to have you be part of it.

Who's using OpenStudy?

  • Students like RunningMann – for questions, homeworks, projects, and test prep.
  • Open courses like MIT – to create online study groups for learners around the world
  • Independent learners like Platemaster – to get help, give help, and connect with other students
  • Professors like Dr Ross Dr Ross – for online office hours and student interaction.
  • Community colleges like Georgia Perimeter College Georgia Perimeter College – to connect thousands of students within and across campuses.

Why use OpenStudy?

Learners

  • Get help right now – your study emergency resource, just in time, when you need it
  • Why study alone? – your study network, always there, always on.
  • Pay it forward – learn by helping; feel good about helping someone in need.

Educators

  • Engage your students – connect with students on their terms using a social learning network.
  • Facilitate peer learning – create study groups to help your students learn better.
  • Know your students – see who needs help , recognize early signs of trouble.