19 year old’s AI tool for Gen Zs gets 150k users, Antler backing

This article is a part of Startup Spotlight, a series that features young, up-and-coming startups.

Image credit: Antler

Gen Z students are managing multiple tools and subscriptions just to streamline their studies. This digital overload isn’t helping—it’s leaving them drained, financially strained, and pressed for time.

A year ago, bored Filipino student Neil Ruaro decided to do something about this. He dropped out of school to pursue his startup, Intellecs.ai, which combines the best of Notion and ChatGPT to build a tool that helps Gen Zs get productive.

😟 Problem

Today’s student deal with a lot of digital chaos:

• They shuffle between seven or more apps daily, leading to an unmanageable 15 or more logins.
• This constant context-switching eats away 2.5 hours of study time every day, accounting for 40% of lost productivity.
• 68% of students cannot afford essential digital tools, creating a stark choice between needs and budgets.
• Students spend 2.5 hours managing tools, and not nearly enough on developing skills.

💡 Solution

Intellecs.ai is an all-in-one AI-powered workspace aimed at addressing these exact pain points. The freemium tool helps students compose words, summarize notes, and search the web.

• Multiple apps in one: Intellecs.ai integrates notes, calendars, to-dos, and paper management, reducing the need for multiple apps.
• Increased efficiency: Features like spaced repetition and built-in flashcards enhance productivity for studying.
• Time savings: The platform could help students reclaim 2.5 hours daily, freeing up over 50 hours a month.
• Cost reduction: Combined features could cut tool expenses by up to 70%.

Image credit: Intellecs.ai

📊 Market Size

• Gen Z students are expected to take up 40% of the global workforce by 2030.
• Beyond students, the startup plans to role out its software to businesses in 2025.

🤝 Team

**Neil Ruraro, the co-founder, CEO, and CTO), began coding at 16 as a response to his frustrations with traditional schooling. By 17, he was serving as a lead engineer for Web3 and Southeast Asia-based startups.

He is now a VC-funded tech entrepreneur at 19 and the youngest founder backed by Antler in Southeast Asia. He combines technical expertise with firsthand insights into Gen Z workflows, applying both to build Intellecs.ai.

🛞 Traction

The startup claims to have 150,000 users and has generated interest through TikTok.

🏆 Competition

💰 Financials