Why I Started hiKnowy

Ever since I was a kid, I've been endlessly curious about the world. Art, history, science, philosophy, economics, technology. I loved asking questions, learning new things, and trying to understand how the world works. Looking back, I often wished I had a companion to learn alongside me.

At the same time, I was always the person my family called whenever something didn't work on a computer. My parents would often get stuck trying to understand something online, and I wasn't always there to help. It made me realise how valuable it would be if everyone had a patient companion they could turn to whenever they wanted to learn or understand something.

Over the past few months, I became fascinated by AI because it brought together two things I'd always loved: learning and building.

My first project was a platform where anyone could create, publish, and play browser games. Around that time, I found myself talking to ChatGPT almost every day. The more I used it, the more I started wondering what an AI companion could become. Not just something that answered questions, but something that occasionally started the conversation first. Something that checked in on you, asked what you were learning, sparked your curiosity, and felt less like a tool and more like a friend.

Rather than trying to build that from day one, I decided to start with something much simpler: an AI companion that could help Romanians learn English. It felt like the right first step. But the more I worked on it, the more I realised it wasn't English that excited me. It was the idea of building a lifelong learning companion.

A couple of weeks later, Y Combinator published their Fall 2026 Request for Startups. The very first idea on the list was "The Primer," inspired by Neal Stephenson's novel The Diamond Age. Seeing that was the moment I realised the vision I'd been carrying wasn't too ambitious or too early. It was worth pursuing.

As I started imagining what that companion could become, I realised I didn't want another app people would open for a few minutes and then forget. I wanted something that could stay with you throughout your learning journey. While reading a book. Watching a YouTube lecture. Browsing the web. Studying for an exam. Or simply following a random question that popped into your head.

As I shared the idea with the people around me, my brother told me how useful it would be if he could simply highlight what he was reading for university and ask questions without constantly switching tabs or copying text into another app. Later, I mentioned the idea to a friend over the phone, and he simply said, "I'd actually use that."

Less than 24 hours later, the first version of hiKnowy was live.

My goal isn't to build another AI chatbot. It's to build the learning companion I always wished I had growing up. One that helps people understand the world, remember what they learn, and never lose their sense of wonder. A companion that remembers what you've learned, understands what you're curious about, grows alongside you, and maybe, one day, even becomes a friend.