Interview with Rachel Jaffe, Founder of Adjacent: A Platform for Connecting Student Entrepreneurs
In today’s entrepreneurial landscape, resources, connections, and mentorship are key drivers of success. Few understand this better than Rachel Jaffe, founder of Adjacent, a platform designed to help students build their networks and collaborate with like-minded innovators. Adjacent offers university-based communities where students can connect with mentors, collaborators, and advisors, providing an invaluable springboard for budding entrepreneurs who may otherwise lack support.
I recently had the chance to sit down with Rachel to discuss Adjacent’s mission, its unique approach to fostering student entrepreneurship, and her own journey in building the platform.
A University-Born Startup for University-Bound Startups
Rachel's journey with Adjacent began from her own experiences at the University of Michigan, where she noticed the importance of support networks in entrepreneurial success. Her observations led her to create a startup focused on connecting students, alumni, and innovators within a private community that could serve as an incubator of ideas and talent. "I studied entrepreneurship, specifically how social networks impact entrepreneurship,” she explained, sharing that she wrote a book on building startup ecosystems and ultimately developed Adjacent as a natural next step.
Through Adjacent, students can join private communities on their campuses, where they can easily share ideas, seek advice, and find collaborators. For students who might be overwhelmed with starting a venture alone, Adjacent aims to be a friendly space. Rachel notes, "This is a great space that’s very welcoming to just put up your idea, get feedback, find the right people to connect with. This is the best place to start for your startup idea."
Breaking the Cycle of Barriers in Student Entrepreneurship
One of the challenges Rachel faced in developing Adjacent was finding a way to build a high-quality network that avoided some of the common pitfalls of startup communities. She explained, "I’ve definitely faced the problem of people trying to sell their crypto thing or MLM on Adjacent… making it really hard to create a space for high-quality engagement." To combat this, Adjacent offers admin-controlled, private communities where administrators can vet members, creating a safe and focused environment.
Rachel also spoke about the difficulties in bootstrapping her business. Although she initially approached investors, she eventually decided to delay that path. "Now that I know how to code, and I’ve built this connection with my customers, I can afford to be pickier about investors," she shared, explaining that she’s prioritizing customer feedback over investor funding at this stage.
Adjacent’s Unique Features: Feedback Loops and Gamified Startup Development
Adjacent stands out for its incorporation of feedback loops and gamified, task-oriented features. Rachel believes these systems are essential for keeping operations focused and improving user experiences. As she puts it, "I don’t really listen to what people say in interviews; I build a feature, see if they actually use it." This experimental approach has led her to develop functionalities based on actual behavior rather than initial feedback alone.
Upcoming features for Adjacent include a resource tab and gamified task lists, inspired by platforms like Duolingo, to guide students through startup development steps. These features are designed to encourage meaningful engagement, she says, helping students gain practical experience as they move through the stages of launching a venture.
Building Adjacent at UC Santa Barbara
Rachel and I also discussed the potential for Adjacent to be adopted by the UC Santa Barbara community, which could be a great match given the entrepreneurial nature of the student body. For instance, my own nonprofit organization, SB Venture, which provides student services to early-stage startups, shares Adjacent’s mission to help students gain hands-on experience with startups. Rachel mentioned that Adjacent's community-building capabilities could benefit universities like UCSB that may not yet have a centralized platform for student entrepreneurs.
“What you’ll see in the next few weeks,” Rachel mentioned excitedly, “is a Resources tab where people can see articles, templates, and more.” In addition to these resources, the gamified tasks and private communities could create a self-sustaining support network on UCSB’s campus, as well as on other campuses with a growing interest in entrepreneurship.
Join the Adjacent Community
Adjacent is available for both iOS and Android users and has a web-based platform for easy access across devices. Whether you’re a student entrepreneur or simply curious about innovation, Adjacent offers a place to share your ideas and build connections with people who can help make them happen. Rachel’s vision has the potential to inspire and empower students on campuses worldwide.
To explore Adjacent, download the app or join via the web:
As Rachel put it, "If you have an idea and don’t know where to start, Adjacent is ground zero." With Rachel and her team at the helm, Adjacent is poised to become a valuable resource for student innovators everywhere, helping transform ideas into real, impactful ventures.