Written by Davidson College student, Trang Dang ‘27
Alp Niksarli ’27, a junior at Davidson College majoring in Computer Science, is no stranger to building and leading. While many on campus know him as the President of Hack@Davidson, we’re excited to spotlight his recent achievement as the Fall 2024 recipient of the Avinger Impact Fund award, established in honor of Robert L. Avinger, Jr., a member of the Davidson Class of 1960 and professor of Economics from 1967-1980, and the impressive strides he’s made since receiving this recognition. This fund, which fuels the vision, qualities, and passions of innovators with a focus on creativity, energy, and initiative that will lead to success in future endeavors, proved to be the perfect match for Alp’s entrepreneurial spirit. His fascination with engineering began at a young age, but his passion for entrepreneurship was sparked when participating in some summer programs in Turkey, where he first saw technology and business intersect. “*I knew I wanted to build something impactful and go into the entrepreneurial route to put some of my ideas into real life and actually create some sort of impact in people’s lives,” *he reflected. And that’s exactly what he did. Through hackathons, The Hurt Hub initiatives like Gig-Hub, and venture competitions like the Avinger Impact Fund, Alp’s vision steadily took shape. Ultimately, Alp launched GrotN, a Tinder-like web platform designed to match rental seekers based on factors such as budget, location, and roommate compatibility.
Alp credits much of his growth to the various hackathons he has been participating in since coming to Davidson College, which, he says, mirror the entrepreneurial journey. “You actually have to find a challenge, go talk to people, understand the problem at a deeper level, build a team, and then pitch to get an investment, or maybe just get to learn more about what you need to build later.” This mindset of finding optimal solutions to different problems carried him through the 2024 Nisbet Venture Fund, where he won the Audience Choice Award, and more recently, the Avinger Impact Fund award.
With financial support from the award, GrotN has been able to make much faster progress on the software development as well as the marketing initiatives. But for Alp, the most valuable benefit has been the educational values that fosters his personal development. “The talks I had with Dwayne Sutton, [former Entrepreneur-In-Residence at the Hurt Hub] were by far the best benefit I got. I learned so much about storytelling. And if there is any reason why I won [the Avinger Impact Fund], I think that would be because Dwayne taught me how to reframe my story within 7 minutes.”
Since winning the grant, Alp and his co-founder have built a waitlist of nearly 500 users eager to try GrotN. Their next milestone is launching a search tool that allows tenants to filter housing and roommate options for the best possible match. Along the way, Alp has discovered that winnings and setbacks alike provide valuable lessons. Launching a consumer-focused marketplace product without an established reputation is no easy feat. “It’s super difficult for [investors] to actually be convinced with your business model, because it’s also super difficult to get individuals to pay for your software,” he admitted. Additionally, early attempts to collect data directly from landlords and real estate agencies also proved slow and tedious, forcing the team to pivot. They are now building tools to responsibly source data from multiple websites, balancing efficiency with legality and accuracy. Each bump in the road is a lesson in persistence, and Alp remains determined to launch GrotN’s final version this September.
That same persistence carries over into how Alp approaches his own growth. After wrapping up an internship with Amazon this summer, he jumped straight into another at a startup in San Francisco, eager to learn firsthand how founders build their companies and tackle challenges beyond just engineering. His strong appetite for learning and growth is essential for any entrepreneur.
Alp’s advice to other aspiring entrepreneurs is constantly testing out and improving on ideas by getting feedback from other people, even from community forums like Reddit. “You can’t learn just from textbooks, or just studying or writing [ideas] in your notebook and iterating over them. I think you have to do something and get brutally honest feedback, and that’s how you grow up,” Alp shared. He also points to The Hurt Hub as a driving force in his entrepreneurial journey. “The presence of the Hurt Hub was a good point for me to choose to come to Davidson. They’re supporting students with a lot of programming, they have a lot of funds, and they have a good community to be in.” The connections Alp built through Hurt Hub programs like Student Consulting (which was previously known as Gig-Hub) and the San Francisco Career Trek have been instrumental in shaping his vision. He continues to stay in touch with mentors from those experiences for guidance and insights across different industries. To students considering entrepreneurship, Alp encourages active involvement with the Hurt Hub, Davidson Entrepreneurship Club, and Hack@Davidson to lay the groundwork for future ventures. “Just do it,” he says with a smile.
The Hurt Hub@Davidson is proud to support students like Alp on their entrepreneurial journeys through a vibrant collection of hands-on programs and educational workshops. Ready to take the first step? Sign up for our newsletter to explore the many opportunities available.
