Researchly.ai

Inspiration

As students, we've all been there—staring at a blank email draft, trying to reach out to a professor for research opportunities. Hours spent crafting messages that either get ignored or result in awkward rejections. Meanwhile, professors receive hundreds of generic emails from students who clearly haven't researched their work. We realized there was a massive communication gap: students lack the tools to connect authentically with academics, and professors are overwhelmed by poorly-crafted outreach. Researchly.ai was born to bridge this divide using AI to transform how students discover and secure research opportunities. What it does Researchly.ai is the first AI platform designed specifically for academic research outreach. Our platform empowers students through three core features: 📧 Smart Email Generation Upload your resume and research interests, then get personalized emails tailored to each professor's specific research. Our AI analyzes professor publications, lab focus, and recent work to create genuine, thoughtful outreach that stands out. 🎯 Intelligent Professor Discovery Our comprehensive database filters professors by research area, lab size, and student acceptance rates. AI-powered compatibility scoring helps students find the perfect research mentors based on true academic alignment. 🎤 Mock Interview Practice Voice AI simulates realistic conversations with professors, letting students practice explaining their research interests and background. Get real-time feedback on communication style and build confidence before actual interactions. 📊 Campaign Management Create targeted outreach campaigns, schedule emails for optimal academic timing, track responses and success rates, and get analytics to improve future outreach strategies.

How we built it

Frontend: Next.js + React + Tailwind CSS

Intuitive campaign management interface Real-time email status updates and analytics dashboard Responsive professor discovery and filtering system

Backend: Express.js + Supabase

RESTful API architecture for seamless data management PostgreSQL database with real-time subscriptions Row-level security ensuring student data privacy

AI Integration:

Gemini API: Powers intelligent email generation with academic tone and research-specific personalization VAPI: Handles realistic voice-based professor interview simulations Arcade.dev: Orchestrates AI tools and manages Gmail integration

Infrastructure:

Supabase Edge Functions for scheduled email delivery Gmail API integration for reliable email sending Queue management system for optimal send timing and rate limiting

Challenges we ran into

Academic Context is Complex Unlike business cold emails, academic outreach requires understanding research methodologies, publication patterns, and academic cultural norms. We had to train our AI to recognize the difference between theoretical computer science and applied machine learning, or wet lab biology versus computational biology. Professor Data Acquisition Building a comprehensive professor database proved challenging. Academic information is scattered across university websites, Google Scholar profiles, and personal lab pages. We developed web scraping and data aggregation pipelines to create rich, searchable professor profiles. Voice AI Personality Modeling Creating realistic professor personas for interview practice required extensive research into academic communication patterns. We discovered that professors in different fields have vastly different interview styles—a theoretical physicist asks different questions than a clinical researcher. Balancing Personalization with Authenticity Our biggest challenge was ensuring AI-generated emails felt genuinely personalized without becoming manipulative. We developed sophisticated prompt engineering to create authentic academic communication that respects both student goals and professor expertise. Accomplishments that we're proud of 🎯 Addressing a Real Problem We identified and solved a genuine pain point affecting thousands of students annually. Unlike generic business tools adapted for academia, we built something specifically for the academic research context. 🤖 Advanced AI Implementation Successfully integrated multiple AI services to create a cohesive user experience. Our prompt engineering generates emails that professors actually want to read, and our voice AI creates realistic interview scenarios. 📊 Comprehensive Data Architecture Designed and implemented a scalable database system handling complex relationships between students, professors, campaigns, and emails while maintaining privacy and security. ⚡ Rapid MVP Development Built a fully functional platform in 36 hours with working email generation, professor discovery, voice AI integration, and campaign management—all deployed and demo-ready.

What we learned

Academic Communication is an Art Form We discovered that successful academic outreach isn't about sales techniques—it's about demonstrating genuine intellectual curiosity and respect for the professor's expertise. This required completely rethinking traditional cold email strategies. AI Needs Domain Expertise Generic AI tools miss crucial academic context. We learned to incorporate field-specific terminology, understand academic calendars, and recognize that a professor's recent publications are the key to meaningful connection. Students Need Confidence, Not Just Tools Through user feedback, we realized students' biggest barrier isn't just writing emails—it's fear of reaching out to accomplished academics. Our mock interview feature addresses this psychological barrier by building confidence through practice. Privacy is Paramount in Education Academic data requires special handling. Students are protective of their GPAs, research interests, and career goals. We implemented privacy-first design principles and transparent AI usage policies. What's next for Researchly.ai 🔬 Enhanced Research Database

Integration with Google Scholar, ORCID, and PubMed APIs for real-time professor data International university coverage beyond US institutions Real-time tracking of lab openings and professor availability Partnership with academic institutions for verified information

🤖 Advanced AI Features

Multi-language support for international research opportunities Field-specific interview simulations (computational vs. experimental vs. theoretical) Predictive analytics for optimal outreach timing based on academic calendars Advanced personality modeling using professor publication patterns

👥 Community Platform

Student success story sharing and peer mentorship Professor feedback integration for continuous platform improvement Alumni network connections for research pathway guidance Integration with university career services

📈 Smart Analytics & Optimization

Machine learning models predicting response rates based on student-professor compatibility A/B testing framework for continuous email template improvement Seasonal trend analysis for academic opportunity cycles Advanced campaign optimization using historical success data

Built With

• arcade
• nextjs
• supabase
• vapi