"Great engineers don't wait for perfect ideas. They find real problems and build what solves them."

Build real
useful software.

VECTOR is a CCNY student-led organization building software for real users.

Turn messy workflows into tools people actually use.
What is VECTOR

Beyond coursework. Into execution.

VECTOR connects CCNY students with real clients who have real technical problems. Teams scope the project, build the software, and deliver something that works.

"The city doesn't care about your GPA.
It cares about what you built."
VECTOR · CCNY ·
200K+
NYC small businesses
with no in-house tech

Client-oriented projects

Teams build websites, dashboards, automations, and AI tools for businesses that actually need them — not hypothetical case studies.

Learning by building

Coursework teaches concepts. VECTOR teaches you how to scope work, communicate with a client, and ship software on a real deadline.

Every major has a role

CS students lead technical execution. Business, design, architecture, and other students handle client relationships and product thinking.

NYC is the classroom

Five boroughs. 200K+ small businesses. Most have no developer on staff and no budget for an agency — that's the gap VECTOR exists to fill.

The Work

What VECTOR teams build

Projects are scoped for part-time student schedules. Each one ends with a working deliverable the client actually uses — and a portfolio piece the student can point to.

2–3 weeks

Business Website

A clean, mobile-ready site with contact form, basic SEO, and a layout the client can manage themselves.

2–4 weeks

E-Commerce Store

Shopify setup with products, payment, and automations for a local retailer ready to sell online.

1–2 weeks

Online Booking System

Scheduling for salons, studios, or clinics — calendar integration, confirmations, no phone tag.

1–2 weeks

Email Marketing Setup

Branded Mailchimp or Klaviyo templates, a welcome sequence, and a list that grows automatically.

2–3 weeks

Business Dashboard

Turn a client's spreadsheets into a live visual dashboard — sales, inventory, or key metrics at a glance.

2–4 weeks

AI Customer Chatbot

An AI assistant embedded on a website to handle FAQs, bookings, and product questions 24/7.

3–5 weeks

Internal Admin Tool

A custom staff portal or CRM — built with Retool, AppSmith, or a lightweight Flask + React app.

2–3 weeks

Automated Reporting

Weekly or monthly reports delivered automatically — no manual work, no missed deadlines.

1–3 weeks

Inventory Automation

Connect Airtable or Notion to Zapier or Make — no more manual spreadsheet updates or data entry.

1–2 weeks

Workflow Digitization

Replace paper forms and email chains with structured digital workflows — forms, approvals, notifications.

2–4 weeks

Document Automation

Auto-generate contracts, invoices, or intake packets from templates. A major time-saver for service businesses.

Ongoing

Maintenance Retainer

Monthly technical support for past clients — updates, bug fixes, small feature additions.

How a project moves

From problem to portfolio artifact

Every VECTOR project follows the same arc — leaving behind documentation, proof of work, and a deliverable both the client and student can point to.

01

Problem intake

Find a real operational pain point from a business, club, or local initiative.

02

Scope sprint

Define the smallest useful version and clarify exactly what is out of scope.

03

Build team

Match students across engineering, design, product, and client communication.

04

Validate

Test the workflow with users, fix gaps, verify it solves the stated problem.

05

Artifact

Case study, demo, and GitHub repo — documented, owned, and portfolio-ready.

For Businesses

What working with VECTOR looks like

VECTOR teams build focused, well-scoped software for NYC businesses. If you have a process that should be automated, data that should be visible, or a digital presence that doesn't exist yet — let's talk.

Recognize your industry? Click to see what we typically build.

High demand
Restaurants & Hospitality
High demand
Retail & E-Commerce
189K NYC businesses
Healthcare Practices
190K NYC businesses
Real Estate & Property
273K NYC businesses
Professional Services
Open to proposals
Nonprofits & Community Orgs

Transparent scope

You know exactly what you're getting

Every project starts with a written scope document — deliverables, timeline, what's included, and what isn't.

Local and accountable

A team in your city, not a contractor overseas

VECTOR teams are based in New York City. They understand the market and are invested in the outcome because it goes in their portfolio.

Ongoing support

We don't just hand it off and disappear

Clients can stay on a monthly maintenance retainer for updates, fixes, and small additions.

Have a project in mind?

Reach out and tell us what you're trying to solve. We'll scope it and get back to you within a few days.

Start a conversation →
For Students

How joining works

Open to all CCNY students.

01

Come to a meeting

See what's currently being built, meet the team, and find out what roles are open.

02

Find your role

Developer, designer, business analyst, or client liaison — every project team has room for different skills and majors.

03

Deliver something real

Work a live project, ship the deliverable, document your work, and walk away with a concrete portfolio piece.

Ready to build with us?

Reach out and we'll connect you with the right team and project.

Contact VECTOR →
FAQ

Questions we hear often

No. VECTOR is designed to be where you gain that experience. You'll work on a team — not solo — so your skills develop through the project itself.
Not at all. Business, design, architecture, pre-med, humanities — every major has a legitimate role. Non-technical students often identify the best problems, manage client relationships, and drive product decisions that technical students miss.
Client projects generate real revenue. The goal is always that students are compensated for their time — not handed "experience" as currency. Exact structure depends on the project and team agreement.
Typically 10–15 hours per week during an active project. Projects run 2–5 weeks. You take on more or less depending on your semester load.
01
You reach out
Send us a quick description of the problem — what's manual, broken, or missing.
02
We scope it together
A short call to define deliverables, timeline, and what's in or out of scope. No surprises.
03
Team assembled
We match the right students to your project. You get a dedicated point of contact throughout.
04
Build & deliver
We build, test, and hand off a working deliverable — documented and yours to keep.