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Melissa wants to improve the Internet. She needs your help.

Sault native invents system to make Internet use easier; calls on public to assist with expenses for tuition at California's Silicon Valley
MELISSA KARGIANNAKIS
Sault native Melissa Kargiannakis has invented a way to make the Internet easier for people to read, but needs financial backing to bring the software to the marketplace. Photo supplied by Melissa Kargiannakis.

A Sault Ste. Marie woman is striving to launch a revolutionary new Internet tool which, when perfected and brought to the world’s computer monitors, will make it easier for people with low literacy levels to understand complex terminology, especially medical and financial information.

The technology, known as Heuristext, is the brainchild of Sault native Melissa Kargiannakis.

“In simple terms, my goal and my dream is for every single person who has an Internet connection to have access to this technology,” Kargiannakis told SooToday.

Kargiannakis, who currently works at the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre (SSMIC), has the opportunity to showcase the Heuristext technology at the Women’s Startup Lab (WSL) Accelerator Program in Silicon Valley, California for two weeks, beginning November 4.

While there, she hopes to secure financial backing for Heuristext from investors.

Kargiannakis officially established Heuristext as a company in November 2015.

Research and development of the technology is currently underway at the University of Toronto thanks to $25,000 in federal funding, in addition to funding from the Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation and the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre.

But, Kargiannakis still needs $20,000 for Women’s Startup Lab tuition for her two-week stay in Silicon Valley.

Heuristext is one of nine high potential female founded companies from around the world, and the only Canadian company, invited to participate in the Women’s Startup Lab (WSL) Accelerator Program. 

After tapping all available funding sources, Kargiannakis has launched a GoFundMe page in an attempt to raise $10,000 toward her Silicon Valley mission.

“I really need help or else I can’t access this opportunity, and I’m just so grateful for everyone’s support so far, even in a few days.  It won’t be possible without everyone’s help, so I’m very, very thankful.”

After her GoFundMe site, entitled Breaking Down Literacy Barriers, went up October 15, $2,485 has been raised. 

Kargiannakis, 26, is a Korah Collegiate graduate who went on to complete a Bachelor’s of Health Sciences and Master’s of Health Information Science at the University of Western Ontario.

The inspiration to make online language easier came to  Kargiannakis in February 2013 as a Master’s student.

“I had an ‘aha!’ moment.”  

“We were discussing the difference between an academic article and a newspaper or online article, which is the public version of that information, and the gap between those two versions.”

“I have some coding ability and I know you can code this content (and make it easier for the layman to understand),” Kargiannakis said.

As Heuristext’s founder and managing director, Kargiannakis teamed up with fellow Canadian Naomi Freeman, who serves as Heuristext’s head of development.

“She’s a stellar developer,” Kargiannakis said.

Kargiannakis went to work to secure research grants and arrange for research and development for Heuristext at the University of Toronto.

While Kargiannakis said she will be seeking financial backing for Heuristext from investors while in California, she said she wants research and development to continue in Canada. 

After Kargiannakis’ initial two-week visit to Silicon Valley, she hopes to make a return visit to the world-famous research facility some time within the next 12 months, with annual visits to follow in order to continuously perfect Heuristext.

“We’re hoping for full public commercial launch in the last quarter of 2018 or the first quarter of 2019, because the artificial intelligence behind our technology is very complicated to execute.”

Kargiannakis told SooToday it is her goal to live and work in the Sault for the foreseeable future, and to always keep a part of Heuristext, perhaps its head office, in this community.

Kargiannakis can be reached by email at [email protected]

Her GoFundMe page can be found here.


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Darren Taylor

About the Author: Darren Taylor

Darren Taylor is a news reporter and photographer in Sault Ste Marie. He regularly covers community events, political announcements and numerous board meetings. With a background in broadcast journalism, Darren has worked in the media since 1996.
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