Media Mentions
Noozhawk
UCSB Team Creates Online Market for Swapping Textbooks to Help Students Save Money
A team of UCSB students launched Swaapr, an online marketplace designed to help students swap textbooks and other course materials, eliminating the middleman and reducing costs. The platform allows users to post textbooks and arrange direct exchanges, offering an affordable alternative to traditional buyback programs. With over 2,000 campuses participating worldwide, Swaapr aims to address the increasing cost of textbooks while evolving into a broader student resource platform.
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Santa Barbara Independent
UCSB Students Head to Silicon Valley to Launch Swaapr.com
A group of UCSB students launched Swaapr.com, a platform enabling college students to buy, sell, rent, swap, or request items and services. Initially focused on textbook sharing, the project evolved into a broader marketplace with features like delivery requests. The founders aim to provide students with a free, user-friendly platform to earn money and access resources locally. After competing at Startup Weekend in San Francisco, they received crucial support to grow their business.
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Pacific Coast Business Times
Textbook hookup: Students develop tract-sharing app
A group of UCSB students developed 1night.me, a mobile app designed to streamline textbook-sharing among students. The app aims to disrupt the $5.5 billion textbook market by allowing users to rent textbooks for brief periods, providing an affordable alternative to purchasing costly materials. This innovative solution has attracted attention for its potential to make textbooks more accessible and cost-effective for students.
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The Daily Nexus
UCSB Entrepreneurs Earn Prize
A team of UCSB students won the prestigious Kauffman Foundation’s international entrepreneurship competition for their innovative mobile textbook-sharing app, 1night.me. The app, designed to allow students to borrow textbooks for up to 24 hours, was recognized for addressing a real need in education. Competing against schools like MIT and Stanford, the UCSB team took home over $100,000 in software services. Their success highlights the value of solving practical problems in education through accessible, tech-driven solutions.
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Her Campus
Jason Vianna ‘13: The Web Man
Jason Vianna, a UCSB student, stands out as a tech-savvy entrepreneur known for his work in web development. He co-founded Swaapr, an online platform aimed at helping students exchange goods and services, and has actively participated in various projects focused on digital innovation. Jason's passion for technology and his commitment to building impactful solutions have earned him recognition on campus and beyond.
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