When global supply chain instability was at its peak, Wendell Li was serving as a teaching assistant in an undergraduate Informatics course. It was the enthusiasm of these Informatics students that propelled Li to take his then-side project further. Following his graduation from the iSchool, Li formally launched Restock Alerts, a tool that helps shoppers stay informed about the inventory of any online retail product.  

Restock Alerts notifies its subscribers when their desired products are in stock, saving them search time and effort. Most notably during the pandemic, the product facilitated many secure daily necessities including masks and hand sanitizer. Steadfast in transforming the project into a business, Li paved the way for a significant investment from MiraclePlus (formerly Y Combinator China), which brought NetPrism's valuation to $4 million. This success led to the development of BuyScout, the Restock Alerts’ AI shopping assistant successor.

Li emphasized the significance of his time at the iSchool, particularly under the mentorship of instructor Ted Neward. “Had Ted and the iSchool not given me the opportunity to serve as a teaching assistant, I might never have had the ambition to start the company. Receiving investment and steering the company onto the right track would have remained a distant dream.”