{"id":11832,"date":"2026-04-09T15:48:27","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T14:48:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thestudententrepreneur.org\/?p=11832"},"modified":"2026-04-09T15:48:31","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T14:48:31","slug":"matthew-guella-pulse-app","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thestudententrepreneur.org\/?p=11832","title":{"rendered":"Matthew Guella: Building Pulse While Battling Cancer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Matthew<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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MBA student Matthew Guella turned a simple idea into a social coordination app, Pulse, all while undergoing chemotherapy. Pulse is an app that helps friends easily plan in-person activities without the chaos of group chats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Problem: Group Chats Don\u2019t Cut It<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The idea came from a summer catch-up in Austin, when a friend expressed frustration: she could see that multiple friends were nearby but had no easy way to get everyone together. Texting one friend felt awkward, and sending a group message was distracting. Often, nothing happened. This is what inspired Guella to create a platform that can address this by letting users send a quick \u201cpulse\u201d to their network. Anyone who is free can join with just a tap. A Quick Pulse<\/a> feature simplifies the process further for spontaneous activities like grabbing lunch or running errands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guella also sees the app helping parents connect around playdates and shared interests. Beyond convenience, Pulse addresses a broader social need. Chronic loneliness has been linked to serious health risks, while social media increasingly fails to connect friends meaningfully. Guella believes there\u2019s a growing demand for a tool that helps people interact with those they already know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Building the App: From AI Tools to a Development Team<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Guella initially tried building Pulse using AI coding tools like Cursor and Claude, but quickly realized non-technical founders often hit limits with full-stack apps. He then hired a team on Upwork, following his father\u2019s advice. He spent $5,000 to get a product live and test it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The journey wasn\u2019t smooth. Early glitches included a misspelled last name and a malfunctioning back button. After revising the design, the app was finally completed in December 2025. Apple and Android approvals<\/a> took time, though Android went through overnight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Early Traction and Next Steps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Pulse has roughly 100 downloads so far, mainly from Guella\u2019s classmates and friends in Austin, Chicago, and NYC. He\u2019s searching for a technical co-founder to enhance features like friend discovery. While chemotherapy continues through June, Guella remains committed to refining the app at his own pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMany founders wait for the perfect moment to launch,\u201d he reflects. \u201cFor me, that moment was already here.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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