Online platform Studentvoorstudent makes tutoring accessible and affordable

As a partner of StartUp Nijmegen, Poelmann van den Broek regularly puts a fresh newcomer in the spotlight. This time, in the section #startupsanddowns, you will meet Ludo Jacobs who, together with his business partner Tim Bult, is shaking up the world of tutoring with the online platform Studentvoorstudent. Thanks to them, students can now find a nice affordable tutor within three clicks.

A failing grade in math? Then you seek tutoring, right? But until recently, that wasn't so easy. Traditional companies dominated the market with unclear rates, an impersonal approach and high margins. Ludo thought there was room for improvement.

From Excel sheet to online platform

He had gained the necessary experience building an online platform with a previous company, which was focused on exam training. Ludo: "That company came about automatically. During my studies, I noticed that some fellow students were knocking on classmates' doors for help with exams. Because I thought it would be useful to link supply and demand, I made an Excel sheet for that purpose. And yes, one thing led to another. There was a lot of interest, I added reserving a room, and so my Excel sheet grew into an online platform."

Convenience, speed and the review principle

Evaluations show that students are much more in need of structural help, rather than one-time help focused on exams. This is how the current version of Studentforstudent came into being. Ludo: "A year and a half ago, my best friend, Tim Bult, became co-owner. As a business economist, Tim makes sure we are financially strong. In a year and a half, with about 600 tutors, we have become the online tutoring platform in 8 cities. The basis for our success is convenience, speed and the review principle. Just like Airbnb, tutors present themselves and set their own hourly rate. The reviews make choosing the one that suits you very transparent. And it is a success, we are growing significantly."

Good education affordable for all

The commission charged by Studentforstudent is very low. Ludo says: "We do that because we want to make good education affordable for everyone. And we can keep the commission low because we have automated our platform in a smart way. We do everything ourselves, like SEO optimization and we don't have a physical location."

Labor law, business law and the tax authorities

One of the advantages of StartUp Nijmegen is the support provided by professionals. About the contact with a former lawyer from Poelmann van den Broek, Ludo says: "We have been sparring about our platform. He mapped out what we should pay attention to when it comes to labor law, entrepreneurial law and the tax authorities. Super handy! Especially since we have plans to expand the platform. For example, we are partnering with educational institutions and in time we want to offer our service in other countries as well."

Only ups no downs

So far, only ups. Asked about the downs, Ludo laughs: "No, there were no real blunders. We did sometimes build a tool into the platform that turned out not to be necessary. Yes, that is a waste of money. But on the other hand, you have gained experience."

Poelmann van den Broek and StartUp Nijmegen

The #startupsanddowns column shows what Poelmann van den Broek can do for businesses in the nearby business incubator StartUp Nijmegen.