Soaring Startups
Yutaro Nishiyama (MMM '25) and Marc Davis (MMM '26) showcased their entrepreneurial prowess at Northwestern’s VentureCat competition.
Yutaro Nishiyama (MMM '25) stood before a panel of judges at Northwestern University’s VentureCat competition, his voice steady despite the nerves coursing through him.
Just moments before, he shared his personal struggle with English fluency – a journey that began with academic success in Japan but crumbled into isolation and frustration upon arriving in the United States.
This deeply personal experience became the catalyst for InstaEnglish, a language learning app that earned Nishiyama second place and $50,000 in the prestigious startup competition.
“VentureCat's recognition was profound validation,” said Nishiyama, who credited his experience in Northwestern’s MBA + MS Design Innovation (MMM) program — a dual-degree program between Northwestern Engineering and the Kellogg School of Management — with helping him launch InstaEnglish. “It was a powerful affirmation that our vision for global impact is real.”
VentureCat is Northwestern’s annual student startup competition that celebrates the university’s most promising student founders. It culminates in a pitch competition that awards more than $175,000 in prize money to student ventures.
InstaEnglish, co-founded by Nishiyama, Théry Badin (MMM ‘25), Yutaka Kawabata (MMM ‘25), and Evan Lai (MMM ‘25), aims to revolutionize English language learning. The app leverages proven language science to target two core skills: formulation and articulation. The goal is to empower English learners to achieve conversational fluency in just 10 months.
This focused approach has resonated with users, resulting in 3,000 paying subscribers and $300,000 in annual recurring revenue., Nishiyama said.
The journey from concept to award-winning startup was shaped by lessons learned in the MMM program.
“The MMM ethos of ‘research, design, build’ isn't just a lesson; it’s the DNA of InstaEnglish,” Nishiyama said. “Our minimum viable product was born from my own need. Since then? Over 100 versions have been released in the past year alone.”
Nishiyama said he plans to use the prize money from the VentureCat competition to expand InstaEnglish to two new languages, likely Thai and Taiwanese, in the coming year. It also will enable the company to invest in streamlining its localization process using AI and large language model technology.
While InstaEnglish captured the spotlight at VentureCat, it wasn't the only MMM-born venture making waves. Marc Davis (MMM '26) and his team advanced to the semifinals with Nyck AI, an AI solution aimed at automating procurement processes for small and medium-sized businesses.
Despite being in its infancy, launching just months before the competition, Nyck AI impressed judges with its clear vision and potential impact.
“The number one thing we learned was how to effectively and succinctly communicate the problem that we are solving and our solution to that problem,” Davis said. “With VentureCat, we had a chance to refine a set of three slides. Now, when I meet with a potential customer, I use those slides and it’s like ‘Boom, light bulb.’ They get it immediately.”
Davis credits the MMM program’s emphasis on human-centered design for Nyck AI’s early success. The program’s strong initial focus on the problem potential users are experiencing rather than quick solutions has helped his team develop a product that addresses real pain points in the procurement process, he said.
Both Nishiyama and Davis emphasized the value of the MMM program’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, particularly with its access to The Garage, Northwestern's hub for innovation. The Garage is a physical space and entrepreneurial community that provides students with resources, programming, and mentorship to develop and launch new ideas.
That collaborative environment and the associated mentorship opportunities have been instrumental in refining student ideas and preparing them for competitions like VentureCat.
As InstaEnglish prepares to expand into new markets and Nyck AI gears up for its official launch, both teams carry with them the lessons and experiences gained through the MMM program and VentureCat competition. For Nishiyama, the journey has reinforced a powerful lesson.
“I’ve learned that genuine passion and a clear vision resonate deeply,” he said. “If you keep asking and have a clear purpose, you connect with people who want to see you succeed.”