Why I'm Ditching My Old Tools for This Hackathon
Hey everyone! I'm Armando Blanquicet from Colombia, and I'm beyond excited to share my journey into the Kiroween hackathon. As someone who's been invited to speak at the first Artificial Intelligence Summit in Latin America and featured in my country's official Congress magazine as a young entrepreneur, I've tried every coding tool out there. But let me tell you why Kiro is different.
The Search for the Perfect AI IDE
I've been exploring alternatives to my usual workflow—testing Cursor, Windsurf, and other AI-powered IDEs. What struck me about Kiro is how generous and focused it is on vibe coding directly. No bloat, no unnecessary complexity—just pure conversational development that actually understands what you're trying to build.
My Kiroween Project: Agapai - The Frankenstein of AI Agents 🤖
For this hackathon, I'm entering the Frankenstein category, and trust me, the name couldn't be more perfect for what I'm building.
What is Agapai?
Agapai (check us out at agapai.com.co and @agap_ai) is my startup dedicated to creating personalized AI assistants and agents that connect directly through WhatsApp for any client. No complicated APIs, no technical barriers—just scan a QR code and you're connected.
Why This is My Perfect "Frankenstein"
I'm literally stitching together incompatible pieces into one monstrous (in a good way!) system:
- Kiro for rapid development and vibe coding
- MCP (Model Context Protocol) integration with Kapso AI
- Kapso AI - Official Meta-approved WhatsApp Business provider (no unofficial API hacks!)
- Custom LLM agents for intelligent customer service
- Stripe for payment processing
- Multi-tool integration - agents that can connect to other platforms seamlessly
The beauty? Clients can deploy a complete AI customer service agent for their business (restaurants, retail stores, clinics) just by scanning a QR code. The agent handles customer inquiries, appointments, orders, and can even connect to external tools—all within WhatsApp.
Why Not Stick With What I Know?
I've built several examples with other agent frameworks like Manus, but honestly? They weren't flexible enough. I need something that can:
✅ Handle complex conversational flows
✅ Integrate multiple services seamlessly
✅ Scale from MVP to production fast
✅ Let me iterate with natural language (vibe coding!)
That's where Kiro comes in. The way it handles specs, hooks, and steering docs is exactly what I need to build a production-ready MVP during this hackathon.
My Development Strategy with Kiro
1. Vibe Coding for Rapid Prototyping
I'm using Kiro's conversational interface to quickly prototype the WhatsApp integration layer. Instead of digging through documentation, I describe what I need, and Kiro helps me structure it.
2. Spec-Driven Development for Core Features
For the agent's core logic and multi-platform integrations, I'm using Kiro's spec-driven approach to ensure consistency and maintainability.
3. MCP Integration for WhatsApp Magic
This is the game-changer. Using MCP with Kapso AI means I can offer Meta-approved WhatsApp Business connections without the usual API nightmares.
4. Hooks for Automation
I'm setting up Kiro hooks to automate repetitive tasks like testing different agent personalities, deployment workflows, and integration testing.
From Local Hackathon to Global Stage
This isn't just a hackathon project for me—it's completing the vision I've been working toward. I want to take Agapai from concept to a real MVP that businesses across Latin America can use.
Having spoken at AI conferences and being recognized as a young entrepreneur, I know the pain points small businesses face when trying to adopt AI. They don't need complicated dashboards or expensive consultants—they need something as simple as WhatsApp.
Why Kiroween is Perfect Timing
The Halloween theme actually fits perfectly: I'm bringing together "dead" or disconnected technologies (traditional customer service, WhatsApp Business limitations, complex AI deployment) and reanimating them into something alive and useful.
Plus, the $30K in prizes doesn't hurt! 😄 I'm aiming for:
- Frankenstein Category (my perfect fit)
- Best Startup Project bonus (since Agapai is my real startup)
- Maybe even an Overall Prize if the judges love it
What's Next?
Over the next few weeks until December 5th, I'll be documenting my journey:
- How Kiro's vibe coding accelerates development
- The challenges of integrating MCP with real-world business needs
- Lessons learned from building a production-ready AI agent platform
- Comparisons with other tools I've tried
Join Me on This Journey
Follow my progress:
- 🌐 Website: agapai.com.co
- 📸 Instagram: @agap_ai
- 🐦 Twitter: @agapaisas
I'll be sharing updates, code snippets, and honest reflections on what works (and what doesn't) as I build this Frankenstein monster of a platform.
If you're also participating in Kiroween, let's connect! Drop a comment below or reach out on social media. Let's build something wicked together! 🎃👻
kiro #kiroween #aiagents #whatsapp #startup #colombia #frankenstein #hookedonkiro
Are you building something for Kiroween? What category are you entering? Let me know in the comments!
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