Northeastern students use Facebook founder’s visit to launch startup

Students waited anxiously outside to get a glimpse of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg during his visit to MIT and Harvard University yesterday.

On a mission to speak with coeds about fellowship opportunities at the social media site’s Palo Alto office in California, Zuckerberg spent more than two hours talking up the chance to come out West.

While some hoped to meet the man behind the “poke” button, others used the gathering crowds as a chance to promote their own businesses.

Northeastern University students Brandon Beneduce and Andrew Rodriguez sat outside the hall where Zuckerberg was delivering a speech with hundreds of envelopes, waiting to hand them out to the students leaving the event.

Across the top of the letters they were distributing it said “F*** Facebook,” and told readers to work for them instead.

“We are not here for Zuckerberg, we are here for his audience,” said Rodriguez, one-half of the creative mind behind the company “KeeWee Listings.”

Rodriguez said the start up site is an online social platform for student real estate needs.

“If you are going on a co-op for awhile, or home for the summer, this lets you find someone to take over your lease,” said co-founder Beneduce.

The duo said they started the company in March and are hoping to launch by December, but first, they needed to hire some workers.

“We are looking for new developers,” said Rodriguez, holding a stack of envelopes. “This is the cream of the crop right here for Computer Science kids.”