Don't build a spaced repetition startup
9 hours ago
- #edtech
- #startup challenges
- #spaced repetition
- The author pauses full-time work on Rember, an AI-assisted spaced repetition system, due to lack of startup success.
- Challenges identified include durable learning requiring effort, habit formation difficulties, and the overhead of deciding what to remember.
- Anki is highlighted as a robust but outdated tool with a steep learning curve and clunky UI.
- Rember aimed to be cleaner and more opinionated but failed to gain traction despite the author's personal use and satisfaction.
- LLMs have partially solved the flashcard creation problem but don't eliminate the need for human judgment in deciding what to remember.
- Key friction points in spaced repetition systems include desirable difficulties, habit formation, and self-directed learning.
- Successful edtech products like Duolingo and ChatGPT address some but not all of these frictions.
- AI-generated flashcards introduce new challenges like duplicate cards and the need for sequential presentation of concepts.
- Habit formation remains a significant hurdle, with spaced repetition requiring upfront effort for delayed rewards.
- Positioning a general-purpose spaced repetition system is tough as users don't inherently seek better memory systems but solutions to specific problems.
- Switching costs in spaced repetition systems are high due to the long-term nature of flashcard collections.
- The author concludes that while a lifestyle business around spaced repetition is possible, scaling it into a venture-backed startup is unlikely.