A software help system co-founded by a new management sciences faculty member has received $500,000 in seed money from the State of Washington's W Fund with additional funding expected to expand the startup's operations.
Qazzow is based on Parmit Chilana's dissertation work at the University of Washington where she completed her doctoral degree in Information Science earlier this year. Rather than typing out a question, the software help system allows users to tap on whatever is causing a problem and relevant Q&A information instantly appears on the screen.
The other co-founders are University of Washington professors Andy Ko and Jake Wobbrock, who were both Chilana's doctoral advisers. Qazzow is the first financed startup to emerge from the University of Washington’s Information School. It is currently being tested by Ben Bridge Jeweler, Game House, Big Fish Games, PetHub, Yapta, and PlayOn.
"It's exciting to see my dissertation work in a commercial setting," says Chilana. [Geekwire article on Qazzow]