On a rainy day in Miami, Ruben Harris did something he rarely does: he took a break from startup life, picked up his cello, and posted a video of himself playing. “I know a lot of people don’t post things like that on LinkedIn,” he said, “but I was like, you know what? I’m gonna be me.”
That spirit – creative, human, and a little defiant – runs through the company he co-founded with Timur Meyster: OutRival. Along with Group Product Manager Jasmine Melikyan, the team is building something far more ambitious than an AI chatbot. They’re building digital coworkers that take on real responsibilities, starting with one of the most complex human systems out there: higher education.
Their pitch is simple: imagine if every student inquiry, question, or concern, whether it’s about admissions, financial aid, or course options, could be handled 24/7 by a virtual assistant that doesn’t just spit out FAQs, but speaks your language, remembers your name, and actually helps. And when the conversation needs to escalate, a human adviser is looped in instantly.
“We’re not trying to replace people. We’re trying to give them superpowers,” Melikyan told Refresh Miami.
Melikyan has helped shape the product from day one. She works with both engineers and clients to ensure the “digital workers” can answer questions, yes, but also they need to drive outcomes, like helping a student complete their enrollment or stay in school.
That’s not easy. “In theory, AI sounds great. It has huge promise,” she said. “But does it actually work in production? Can you make people talk to it? Can you make them engage with it?” These are the hard problems she spends her days solving.
One of the most powerful examples they shared came from a university client whose digital worker made a phone call to a student, just to congratulate them on being accepted. The student had no idea they’d been admitted.
OutRival’s digital workers now handle over a million calls each month. That number is expected to grow to 10 million by the end of the year. “If we were doing this with human staff, we’d need an army,” Meyster said. Instead, they onboard and train virtual staff, monitor performance, and tweak when necessary.
What sets OutRival apart from typical AI products is its focus on proactive, personalized communication rather than reactive support. “Most companies are focused on cost savings and ticket deflection,” Harris said. “We’re focused on impact: making sure people don’t fall through the cracks.”
That impact goes beyond enrollment. Their platform helps with retention, financial aid reminders, even alumni engagement. Harris described a future where digital workers check in with students regularly, offering support before a problem becomes a crisis. “Instead of waiting until someone’s failing out, we can ask how their first month is going,” he said.
The goal is to make every adviser at a school a 10x performer. “We can take on the repetitive tasks, so they can focus on the students who really need their help,” Melikyan said.
The company is growing fast, with nearly 20 academic partners and plans to expand to 100 in the next year. While they’re currently focused on higher ed, the founders hinted that more verticals are on the horizon, particularly other industries where big, complex decisions need a human touch.
Pictured at the top of this post: OutRival co-founders Ruben Harris, right, and Timur Meyster.
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