16 May 2025
A group of recent WVU engineering graduates has secured their pre-seed investment for their startup venture, Brite, which helps universities uncover what leads to students dropping out—and what makes them want to stay. Brite does this by collecting new, real-time data from students through AI-generated and gamified daily check-ins about their campus experience—revealing hidden student challenges that traditional metrics like GPA miss. Universities then use these insights to identify students who are at-risk of dropping out early, and uncover broad institutional issues, guiding strategic changes and retention strategies. The platform has already been piloted by institutions across West Virginia, with thousands of students actively engaging on the app.
In conversations with over 100 university administrators from 36 institutions, the Brite team uncovered a clear challenge: student attrition is one of the biggest threats institutions face, as many administrators explained they can’t see the real reasons why students dropout. Hidden barriers students encounter like loneliness, mental health, or financial stress often go undetected until after the student has already left school. Without directly understanding student needs, many go unsupported, and systemic campus issues remain unresolved—harming retention efforts and student success.
Brite gives schools a new signal—first-hand insights **from students that reveal the hidden factors impacting retention. Brite generates a new stream of information using their mobile app that college students love. The app uses AI to deliver engaging daily check-in questions that uncover challenges around academics, wellbeing, and connectedness—areas missed by traditional systems. This appeals to students as they connect with friends, boost their streaks, and compete for gift cards from brands like Chipotle and Starbucks.
What sets Brite apart is how it turns this daily student engagement into action. When a student indicates they’re struggling, instead of falling through the cracks, Brite connects them to campus specific resources and alerts university staff to provide timely support. It then uses advanced data analysis to identify broader patterns across student responses—helping schools uncover systemic issues they were previously unaware of to make impactful changes.
By meeting students where they are—and making feedback fun—Brite unlocks a new layer of visibility into student needs, giving universities the power to support their students like never before.
The platform is actively expanding to even more colleges & universities in Fall 2025. The app’s gamified and social design has driven exceptional engagement—some students have maintained streaks of over 250 days in a row, using the app for more than eight consecutive months. This consistent usage has unlocked a powerful stream of student-driven data. In one university pilot, a sophomore student reported needing to leave school due to a financial aid issue. Brite surfaced the concern, and the school’s Vice President was alerted. After investigating, they discovered a small error, resolved the issue, and successfully retained the student—an intervention that would not have been possible without Brite’s early signal, ultimately preserving the school’s retention rate and protecting the student’s future.
As a university president, former Fortune 500 executive, and lifelong West Virginian deeply committed to student success & retention, Brad D. Smith brings a unique perspective to the Brite team. With deep experience in both higher education and technology, Brad was initially drawn to Brite as the founders focus on deep customer empathy, rapid experimentation, and a genuine commitment to serving students and higher education because when students succeed, institutions thrive—and so do the communities, regions, and economies they support. Furthermore, Brad and Wing 2 Wing are proud to provide Brite’s co-founders, Nate, Craig, and Lukas, fellow born-and-raised West Virginians, with mentorship and resources to assist Brite’s success.
As Brite continues to grow, Wing 2 Wing proudly supports the company in its mission to transform the way universities engage with and understand their students. Brite is currently working with a select group of institutions ahead of its Fall 2025 expansion, both in and beyond West Virginia. If you’re a university leader exploring ways to support your students, the team would love to connect and share what they’re learning. Reach out at **[email protected]** or visit **www.brite.company** to learn more about how Brite is shaping the future of student engagement and retention.
About Brite
Brite was co-founded by Nate Wimer (CEO), Craig Dombrowski (CTO), and Lukas Thackery (CPO)—West Virginia natives and graduates of West Virginia University, with their degrees ranging across mechanical & aerospace engineering, computer science, and business administration. As recent students, the team strongly believes in putting students first and ensuring that the student voice is heard to ultimately help institutions thrive.