Two recent Yale University graduates have launched Spur, a new startup offering a no-code automation tool for web application testing.
The company, founded by Sneha Sivakumar and Anushka Nijhawan, aims to simplify and speed up the process of ensuring web applications function properly without the need for manual coding.
“A lot of companies spend a lot of time writing tests for their web applications,” Sivakumar said in an interview with Yale Engineering. “Our entire company is about automating that process and making it really easy.”
Recent @Yale grads Sneha Sivakumar & Anushka Nijhawan launch Spur, a no-code testing automation startup, helping test web apps without coding. Backed by @YCombinator, a @TsaiCITY grant, and mentored by Comp. Sci. Prof. Cohan. Read their startup journey: https://t.co/LAgfP731Rs pic.twitter.com/NOGNusDlDx
— Yale Engineering (@YaleEngineering) August 23, 2024
Spur’s journey began as a class project during best friends’ Sivakumar and Nijhawan’s senior year in Yale’s software engineering course. Their tool, built from scratch, uses artificial intelligence web agents—software components that interact with web browsers—to handle the testing process. The project quickly gained momentum, earning them a $500 grant from Tsai CITY, Yale’s innovation center.
Their hard work paid off when they were accepted into Y Combinator, a leading business accelerator, which provided Spur with $500,000 in funding. “Y Combinator is a three-month program that kicks off with an in-person retreat and includes weekly meetings with a partner who’s been through the startup process themselves,” Sivakumar explained. “It’s intense, but it’s an incredible opportunity.”
Both founders credited their success to the support of their professor, Arman Cohan, who advised them throughout the development of their project. “Professor Cohan was a huge resource,” Nijhawan said. “He connected us with others in the field and gave us guidance that was crucial to our progress.”
With Y Combinator’s demo day approaching in September, the founders are preparing to pitch their product to investors. “It’s a mix of excitement and stress,” Nijhawan admitted. “We’re learning as we go, not just about engineering but about every aspect of running a business—marketing, sales, even HR.”
Despite the challenges, Sivakumar and Nijhawan remain optimistic. “We’re driven by our passion for what we’re building,” Sivakumar said. “There’s a lot to do, but we’re ready for it.”
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