At Virginia Tech, Natalia Polo, a sophomore majoring in Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Technology Management, is putting her education into action. With a passion for innovation and problem-solving, she co-founded Blobi, an app designed to give educators a seamless, personal workspace to organize, create, and share their work.

From Problem to Solution: The Birth of Blobi

The idea for Blobi emerged during the pandemic when Natalia and her father, Luciano Polo, noticed a gap in the tools available for educators. While teachers had access to lesson planning software, there was no dedicated space to structure curriculum ideas, refine their teaching methods, and retain control over their content. Recognizing this need, the father daughter duo set out to create a flexible, educator-driven solution.

Virginia Tech’s Role in the Startup Journey

Natalia credits her Virginia Tech experience for shaping her entrepreneurial journey. Dr. Katie Brownell's class helped her understand how to build a startup from the ground up, highlighting both best practices and potential pitfalls in the early stages of business development. Her time in Innovate LLC and reaching the finals of the Game Changer pitch competition gave her hands-on experience in refining ideas, pitching to stakeholders, and gaining real-world feedback—skills she now applies daily as she introduces Blobi to educators.

Blobi: A Smarter Way to Build & Share Educational Content

In early 2025, Blobi launched on the App Store for Mac and iOS, offering educators a customizable and private workspace to structure curriculum, craft learning experiences, and decide when and how to share their materials. Designed for teachers, homeschooling parents, education students, and administrators, Blobi puts control back in the hands of educators.

Learn more and join the platform at blobi.net.

Virginia Tech fosters bold, entrepreneurial thinkers, and Natalia Polo is a shining example of how Hokies are shaping the future of education.

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