While society frequently criticizes the impact of doomscrolling on attention spans, a new Palo Alto-based startup is challenging the notion that scrolling must be abandoned. ScrollEd is introducing an application that transforms traditional textbooks and PDF documents into engaging, vertical feeds reminiscent of TikTok or Instagram Reels, aiming to make deep learning more accessible to digital-native students.
Currently pitching at the TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Battlefield 200 competition, the platform utilizes artificial intelligence to convert static text into dynamic content formats, including video, audio, and interactive quizzes. Users can swipe upward to encounter new topics or swipe horizontally to delve deeper into a subject, with assessments available at the conclusion of each segment.
Utsav Gupta, co-founder of ScrollEd, noted that younger demographics, particularly 18-year-olds, increasingly prefer short-form, vertical content, which creates hurdles for media requiring substantial depth. “We want to meet them where they are,” Gupta explained, emphasizing the importance of deliberate platform design rather than maximizing engagement metrics. “A short video can make you curious… We wanted going deeper to be as easy as moving to the next video.”
Gupta, who studies AI and human purpose at Stanford University, launched the company alongside his wife and co-founder Rebecca Neff, a computer science student at the University of Pennsylvania. The founders developed the concept after identifying their own dissatisfaction with pre-sleep doomscrolling habits.
The startup intends to release its consumer version during TechCrunch Disrupt, adopting a freemium structure. This includes a complimentary feed for individual users, a paid ScrollEd Pro subscription, and annual licensing deals for educational institutions and corporate training programs. Institutional clients receive detailed analytics regarding student engagement and lesson progress.
Looking ahead, ScrollEd plans to expand its lesson library, refine its source-checking workflows, and establish pilot programs for schools. The long-term vision involves creating adaptive infrastructure that allows educators to tailor content to individual learner needs. “The ambition is a social network that’s better for you,” Gupta stated.
TechCrunch Disrupt will take place from October 13-15 in downtown San Francisco.
The pitch sounded solid at Disrupt. Hoping they prioritize source verification over just churning out engaging content quickly.
Finally, someone is making textbooks less boring without losing the educational value. Definitely trying the free version.
As a teacher, I’m worried this just trains kids to crave constant stimulation rather than sustaining focus on long texts.
Will this actually work for complex subjects like organic chemistry, or just surface-level summaries? Skeptical about the depth.
I tried doomscrolling my history textbook and somehow retained more than I ever did from lectures. This is genius.