Kurunzi

A list of planned assignments, including their status and progress.
A list of other people in your study group
The different notification channels
AI Advisor helping with degree planning, clubs, and extracurricular activities on campus.
Pomodoro for focused work, also collaborative

In your first semester, that common struggle was universal. That feeling of panic when you realize you missed an assignment? You're not alone, based on a survey we carried out among CMU-Africa students, over 60% of students have forgotten a deadline. And while 80% of us want to be in a study group, most still end up feeling disconnected from peers and having difficulty getting help. When deadlines pile up and you’re stuck on a tough problem, finding the right person to ask can take longer than solving the problem itself.

That’s where Kurunzi comes in — your smart study companion that keeps you on track, connected, and accountable.

What it does

Automatic Canvas Sync (Prototype): We currently have a working prototype that pulls assignments into Kurunzi via a Chrome extension. Access to the official Canvas API is expensive and slow, so the extension allows students to get assignment updates efficiently.
Collaborative Planning & Progress Tracking: Students can share assignments with study groups, update their progress, and indicate where they’re stuck (without posting the actual question text) so peers can offer help faster.
- AI-Powered Academic Support — will suggest study strategies, focus plans, and relevant clubs and extracurricular activities on campus
- WhatsApp & email notifications — smart reminders and nudges to peers
- Advanced Pomodoro & collaboration features for focus sessions

How we built it

Chrome Extension (Prototype) → Pulls assignments from Canvas LMS
React + Firebase → Real-time collaboration and assignment tracking
Planned: Twilio WhatsApp API for reminders and GPT-based AI model for guidance

Challenges we ran into

Official Canvas API access is expensive and slow, so the Chrome extension is our workaround
Designing real-time updates for shared assignments
Balancing useful nudges and reminders without overwhelming students

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Built a functional prototype that allows assignment planning, tracking, and collaboration
Enabled students to share where they’re stuck safely, without posting actual questions
Designed a system that lays the groundwork for AI guidance and automated notifications

What we learned

Students need more than reminders — they need connection, guidance, and accountability
Chrome extensions are a practical workaround when official LMS APIs are restrictive
Starting with a prototype helps validate the concept before building more complex features

What's next for Kurunzi

Complete the Chrome extension for full Canvas assignment sync
Integrate AI-powered academic guidance
Add WhatsApp/email reminders and nudges
Expand collaborative features like shared notes and accountability partners
Build analytics dashboards to track progress, productivity, and group contributions