Day 1 at a startup

Students choose careers based on expectations, not reality. We built an AI-powered startup simulator where you experience your first day as a Software Engineer

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Software Engineer Simulator — Experience Before You Commit

Inspiration

Many students choose careers based on what they hear or see online.
“Learn to code” sounds exciting, but the real job is very different. It includes pressure, unclear tasks, communication, and constant problem solving.

We asked a simple question:

What if people could experience a career before choosing it?

So instead of building another learning app, we built something that shows the real experience.

What We Built

We built an AI-powered simulator where you live your first day as a software engineer in a startup.

In the simulation:

  • A Manager gives you tasks and pushes you for results
  • A Teammate interrupts and asks for help
  • A Reviewer checks your work and gives feedback

You:

  • Fix bugs in code
  • Make decisions under pressure
  • Handle multiple tasks at once

At the end, you get a report showing:

  • Your performance
  • Your stress level
  • Your trust with the manager
  • Your final result (struggled, average, or did well)

How We Built It

We used a simple but smart approach.

  • Frontend: Next.js with a code editor
  • Backend: API routes
  • AI: One model playing different roles
  • State system: Tracks stress, performance, and trust

Instead of building many AI systems, we used one AI and gave it different roles like manager, teammate, and reviewer.

We also tracked user progress using simple values:

S = (stress, performance, trust)

Each decision changes these values.

Challenges

  1. Making it feel real
    We had to make sure the AI responses felt human and not robotic.

  2. Keeping it simple
    A real company is very complex, so we created a small controlled environment that still feels real.

  3. Creating good decisions
    We made sure every choice has trade-offs, like real life.

  4. Avoiding a basic chatbot
    We added code editing, feedback, and scoring to make it interactive.

What We Learned

  • People learn better by experiencing, not just reading
  • AI can simulate real environments, not just answer questions
  • Emotions like stress and pressure make the experience more real

Impact

This can help students:

  • Make better career decisions
  • Understand jobs before committing
  • Avoid wasting time on the wrong path

Future Work

  • Add more careers
  • Make it more realistic with tools like Slack or GitHub
  • Add team-based simulations
  • Give personalized career suggestions

Conclusion

We are not just helping people learn about careers.

We are helping them experience them before choosing.

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