Proof of Usefulness Report

StudySoup

Analysis completed on 1/30/2026

+585
Proof of Usefulness Score
Industry Mainstay

StudySoup is a well-established EdTech platform (launched 2014) with verified revenue estimated between $12M-$25M and a team of ~80 employees, placing it significantly above the calibration baseline in terms of scale and market impact. However, the submission itself was of very low quality, containing lazy assertions (e.g., audience reach 'everyone', traction 'most people have used my product') which necessitated heavy penalties on Quality Factors. Despite the poor submission effort, the underlying business metrics—half a million users and a sustainable marketplace model—justify a high score in the 400-700 range.

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Score Breakdown

Real World Utility+213
Audience Reach Impact+128
Technical Innovation+60
Evidence Of Traction+135
Market Timing Relevance+75
Functional Completeness+5
Subtotal+616
Usefulness Multiplierx0.95
Final Score+585

Project Details

Project URL
studysoup.com
Description
PROBLEM\nCurrent academic supplementary services are disjointed, and have failed to transition smoothly to an online environment (eg. Kaplan $2Bn+ revenue). \n\nWhen you Google Search an academic question you get spammy responses with low credibility like Yahoo Answers.\n\nStudents need a trusted resource they can turn to online to get the Academic Help. \n\nSOLUTION\nStudySoup helps struggling students get the content they need to succeed. Top students make money by providing notes, study guides, and flashcards (beta) for their peers. \n\nStudySoup is your University Academic Resource center brought online.\n\nHighlights:\n- Lower Cost\n- Leverage an Untapped Resource (students)\n- Highly Relevant Micro-Experts\n\nTop students can make a $1000+ per month on StudySoup.\n\nOver half a million college students use StudySoup today.

Algorithm Insights

Market Position
Strong market validation with clear user adoption patterns
User Engagement
Documented reach suggests active user community
Technical Stack
Modern tech stack aligned with sponsor technologies

Recommendations to Increase Usefulness Score

Document User Growth

Provide specific metrics on user acquisition and retention rates

Showcase Revenue Model

Detail sustainable monetization strategy and current revenue streams

Expand Evidence Base

Include testimonials, case studies, and third-party validation

Technical Roadmap

Share development milestones and feature completion timeline