Tacboard Unveiled: Student helps create shopping and social media fusion website

Arjun+Devraj%2C+sophomore%2C+joins+with+an+existing+group+to+help+develop+a+shopping+and+social+media+website+-+TacBoard.

Arjun Devraj, sophomore, joins with an existing group to help develop a shopping and social media website – TacBoard.

While the average high school student is mainly concerned with their academics and extracurricular activities, Arjun Devraj, sophomore, has added entrepreneur to his list.

In January, Devraj joined a group of established students to create the newest website.

“It’s called TacBoard. It combines social media with shopping, so it’s mainly for a female audience,” Devraj said. “I am more interested in the technical aspects of it like programming and overall business strategy.”

He said the group is currently working on market research, but they do have a functional website that introduces the concept.

According to TacBoard’s Website, thetacboard.com, TacBoard is a unique web application that allows users to browse their favorite retailers, to ‘tac’ their desired items, and to be notified of any drop in the price.

At the University of Chicago, Devraj participated in a program called Catapult Incubator where prospective entrepreneurs come to enhance their business skills.

“So when I was there I was like a free agent, so I got to meet someone who already had an idea,” Devraj said.

He joined a group of four other teens as well as two that weren’t in the Catapult program. The founder and CEO Disha Shidham started the company at a summer program called MIT Launch.

“As of now, we are trying to negotiate with Express, a clothing line company, to let their products onto our site, and we are trying to contact other companies in the future,” Devraj said.

He said the negotiations and soliciting of sponsorships is mainly occurring in Columbus, Ohio where the company is centered.

Within four to six weeks, Devraj projects that the website will be operational and users will be able to use the social media aspect of it.

Devraj explains that the company is mainly focusing on building a successful website. But the application will eventually be available in the app store after they work out the technical aspects.

When he grows older, Devraj aspires to work on start-ups like TacBoard and in a technology related career as well. He said the work he does for this business, will help prepare him for the future.

“I think that it has a lot of potential for the future,” He said. “I mean I really don’t use pinterest and stuff like that but it’s a growing market trend and that’s what you have to look for.”