What can you do with an NC State degree in English? Ask entrepreneur and business owner Kaitlin Fritz.
“Our mission is to make arts and culture accessible to children around the globe,” says Fritz, co-founder of the education technology startup Musemio.
Started in 2018, the London-based company creates virtual reality educational games that she says “break down the social, economic and geographic barriers to culture so that every child can explore their curiosities” in an affordable and fun way.
Using a free app, children, 7-12 years old, participate in interactive game-based learning activities created with partner institutions around the world. They include the London Transport Museum and the Hellenic IT Museum in Greece.
Musemio uses technology that allows children to explore a simulated world without costly VR equipment, Fritz says. All users need are the app and a cardboard headset to engage in captivating museum experiences.
The business is driven by the partners’ commitment to having a social impact. “We will always have free experiences on the app so families across the world can play without charge,” she adds.
The inspiration for Musemio stems from Fritz’s childhood love of art that grew into “an academic and career path” at NC State. She transformed her interests into a business while she earned a master’s degree in art history at University College London. That’s also where she met her business co-founder, Olga Kravhcenko.
“Coming from the humanities has been a huge benefit.”
“We combined her expertise in tech and cultural management with my passion for art history and ed tech,” she says.
In April, Forbes named the partners to its 30 under 30 Europe list for arts and culture. The magazine honored them for “promoting their culture tech solution for families and advocating for innovation” within the sector.
What’s next? The company is planning several new projects, including a political, interactive comic book to highlight themes like global politics and awareness.
Fritz credits her NC State education with enabling her to navigate the tech startup world with ease and confidence.
“Coming from the humanities has been a huge benefit,” she says. “I use my skills of writing, communication and design thinking in everything I do. Within the startup space, you have to be ever curious and always learning and this was something that was ingrained in me from my time at NC State.”
She also values her NC State experiences outside the classroom. Key among them was serving as Dean for a Day, an annual program in which the dean and a student spent a day in each other’s shoes.
“Not only did I learn the valuable side of education management and university workings, but I was also able to discuss my future with Dean Jeff Braden,” she says. “And that conversation gave me the focus to the path I am on today.”
NC State, she adds, allowed her to develop her independence, establish lifelong friendships, meet people from across the country and world, discover new traditions and ways of thinking, and grow her personal and professional networks.
Her advice for the next generation of entrepreneurs? “Don’t be afraid to fail,” Fritz says. “Failure is just learning in disguise. Embrace it!”
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