VirtU

VirtU is a platform for creating, sharing and experiencing virtual chemistry labs. Instead of predetermined labs, VirtU enables users to define their own procedures, reactions, and outcomes to match any experiment. Using a built-in AI, written lab procedures can be converted into fully playable experiences instantly, while a visual editor allows for further customization. VirtU removes constraints of cost, safety, and time. Furthermore, it allows exact procedural replication so students can practice, build confidence, and execute real-world labs accurately.

Current chemical education is limited in its approach in preparing students for lab work. Students often feel unprepared for upcoming lab sessions and existing tools do not prepare them effectively. VirtU is a virtual laboratory content platform designed to solve this problem by giving users the power to edit or create labs tailored to their own laboratory techniques. This software provides users with a visual node editor and timeline interface they can use to define procedures, reactions, and outcomes of their lab. VirtU aims to evolve the standard model of structured lab simulations to a more flexible system which can be adapted and expanded by the users. To make VirtU a reality, our execution path involves a rotation of building, testing, refining, and expanding the editor. Initial labs would be developed for testing. Once polished labs are made, a simplified editor would be developed. If the editor is limited and unable to incorporate new labs, the editor would be redesigned to be able to accommodate them. This procedure would be repeated until a truly versatile editor is created. Similar chemistry lab simulation softwares which we’d be competing with include businesses such as PraxiLabs and Labster. However, these existing lab tools do not fully prepare students for real lab situations because of the limited libraries they offer. All of their lab options are fixed, and do not allow for adjustments or new experiments. our software would be more compelling to users because of its versatility and customizability. Any PI, lab manager, graduate student, or professor would be able to effectively train new researchers using the lab editor. Our software has a significant barrier to entry driven by an ever-expanding user-generated library and ever-improving AI. A larger library attracts more users, and more users create additional content, increasing the platform’s value over time. As the library grows so does the AI’s accuracy. New entrants attempting a similar idea would have difficulty as they’d begin with a limited library, making it less likely for users to switch to competitors. Our primary source of revenue would be via monthly subscriptions targeted to students. Aside from the larger market size, testing and refining the software would be easier at this level and progress would be made more quickly. We also plan to expand to department licenses once our software’s effectiveness is validated. There is a substantial market size for VirtU. In the US alone 20,000 chemistry degrees are awarded annually. The virtual labs for STEM education market is also projected to exceed $4 billion by 2030, growing at over 15% annually. Throughout my chemistry degree, I have experienced many lab environments and have felt the frustrations of lab work first-hand. This experience drives me to ensure that VirtU is as accurate and effective in its approach as possible. My lead software developer is a Summa Cum Laude computer science graduate. He achieved second place out of 40 teams in his undergraduate capstone. His technical expertise is essential for building the scalable platform.