Rudy Arora and Sarthak Dhawan, childhood friends from Dallas, scaled their startup to $13 million by age 21. The co-founders dropped out of college—Northwestern and Duke, respectively—to focus on their AI-powered note-taking app, which generates nearly $500,000 monthly. They argue the decision was justified, though they believe they might have left school too late.
From High School to High Growth
Arora and Dhawan first collaborated in high school, launching a Christmas light installer marketplace. Dhawan, who began coding in elementary school, built a popular grade-checking app in high school. Their current venture stemmed from a personal struggle with note-taking during their freshman year of college in 2023.
The Dropout Decision
They went full-time with the app at the end of their sophomore year, citing the app’s rapid success. By March 2025, it was generating $500,000 monthly. Despite attending prestigious schools, they believed the timing was right to leave. Arora noted that dropping out too early could be a mistake, emphasizing the importance of balancing education and entrepreneurship.
Parental and Professional Perspectives
Their parents initially viewed the decision as unconventional, given their strong academic backgrounds. However, the founders framed it as a pragmatic choice, driven by the app’s immediate traction and their long-standing entrepreneurial instincts. They also highlighted the satisfaction of solving a real-world problem for users.
Broader Context
The story reflects a growing trend of young founders leveraging AI to build scalable businesses with minimal teams. Business Insider is actively seeking similar stories to explore the dynamics of the 'Tiny Teams' era, including the challenges and human skills required in such environments.