Turbo AI Reaches 5 Million Users, Founded by College Dropouts
Turbo AI, founded by college dropouts, reaches 5 million users. The AI notetaking app generates eight-figure revenue, transforming education technology.
Turbo AI Reaches 5 Million Users, Founded by College Dropouts
Two 20-year-old college dropouts have created one of 2024’s most remarkable bootstrapped tech successes: Turbo AI, an AI-powered notetaking and study assistant app that has rapidly grown to 5 million users and generates eight-figure annual recurring revenue. Founded by Rudy Arora and Sarthak Dhawan, former students of Duke University and Northwestern respectively, Turbo AI has become a leading tool for students and professionals seeking to capture, organize, and learn from lectures, meetings, and research materials more efficiently.
Origins and Rapid Growth
The idea behind Turbo AI emerged from the founders’ own struggles with traditional note-taking during college lectures. Sarthak Dhawan explained that he found it challenging to listen attentively while simultaneously writing notes, a common problem that sparked the creation of “Turbolearn,” the app’s original name. Starting as a dorm-room side project in late 2023 or early 2024, the app was initially designed to record lectures and auto-generate study materials to help students study smarter, not harder.
The user base quickly expanded beyond Duke and Northwestern, spreading to top universities such as Harvard and MIT and then nationwide. The past six months alone saw explosive growth from one million to five million users, with around 20,000 new users joining daily. This rapid adoption highlights the strong demand for AI-driven learning tools among Generation Z students and young professionals.
Features and Technology
Turbo AI is positioned as more than a simple note-taking app; it is evolving into a comprehensive AI-powered learning assistant. Key features include:
- Automatic transcription and summarization of lectures, meetings, and audio/video content.
- Conversion of diverse inputs like PDFs, YouTube videos, and handwritten scans into editable, structured notes.
- Generation of flashcards, quizzes, and study guides designed to boost information retention.
- Collaborative real-time editing, allowing teams and classmates to co-author notes and assign follow-up tasks.
- Cross-device synchronization supporting web, tablets, and mobile, enabling users to study anytime, anywhere.
The platform emphasizes simplicity and user experience, keeping the interface clean and clutter-free despite the advanced AI capabilities. Privacy and educational compliance are also core priorities, ensuring users can trust the platform with sensitive academic content.
Rebranding and Vision
In mid-2025, the founders rebranded the app from “Turbolearn” to Turbo AI to better reflect their broader vision. No longer just a study app, Turbo AI aims to serve anyone needing to take, organize, and learn from notes, including professionals preparing presentations or writing research papers. This shift signals an expansion beyond the academic market into wider productivity and knowledge work sectors.
Upcoming improvements include native desktop apps for Mac and Windows, a revamped iPad app, and a suite of new AI features designed to further transform how users interact with the platform.
Business Model and Financial Success
Remarkably, Turbo AI’s growth has been entirely bootstrapped by its young founders, who dropped out of college to focus full-time on the startup. The company is profitable and generating eight-figure annual recurring revenue, a significant achievement for a company less than two years old.
Their success story challenges traditional startup narratives that rely on venture capital and highlights the potential of AI-powered tools to create new market opportunities quickly.
Industry and Educational Impact
Turbo AI reflects a broader wave of AI applications transforming education technology. By automating tedious tasks like note-taking and study material organization, it allows students to focus on learning and comprehension. The collaborative features also foster group study and team productivity, aligning with modern learning styles.
Its rapid adoption among top-tier universities underscores the demand for tools that can bridge the gap between lecture content and effective study practices. As AI continues to evolve, platforms like Turbo AI are poised to reshape how knowledge is consumed and retained in academic and professional settings.
Images Relevant to Turbo AI and Founders
- Official Turbo AI logo and app interface screenshots showcasing the note-taking dashboard and AI-generated flashcards.
- Photos of co-founders Rudy Arora and Sarthak Dhawan, ideally from startup events or interviews.
- Visuals illustrating Turbo AI in use during lectures or team meetings, showing transcription and collaboration features.
These images highlight the product’s functionality and the youthful energy behind this innovative startup.
Turbo AI’s journey from a dorm-room project to a multi-million user platform in less than two years exemplifies how young entrepreneurs are leveraging AI to tackle real-world problems, redefining education and productivity in the digital age.
