This is a submission for the World's Largest Hackathon Writing Challenge: After the Hack.
When I first stumbled across the hackathon, I wasn’t entirely sure what I was getting into — but I knew I wanted to build something that mattered. That thought was shaped by frustration with traditional platforms that left alumni, professionals, and students feeling disconnected or overwhelmed by the noise. LinkedIn had become a highlight reel. Alumni apps felt like ghost towns.
What was missing? A real sense of community. A place to grow, not just showcase.
That was the birth of Nestt.
What Nestt Became
Nestt is more than a product — it's a platform that brings together the past, present, and future of its users. Built entirely on Bolt.new, and integrated with tools like Supabase, RevenueCat, Tavus, ElevenLabs, and Algorand, it’s a robust MVP that will offer:
- Personalized feeds and school communities
- Mentorship booking and video-based learning
- Career listings and targeted hiring tools
- Online challenges, events, games, and watch parties
- Accessibility features powered by AI voice and video
- A rewards system and leaderboards to drive engagement
Personal Growth & Lessons Learned
This project pushed me harder than I expected. I built Nestt solo from UI/UX to backend to integration — every screen, every line of logic, every prompt written and refined. I stretched myself beyond just being a designer. I became a builder, strategist, and storyteller. I learned how to think fast, adapt when things broke, and how to solve real-world problems with limited time and tools. That’s what makes this special. It’s personal.
I also learned that:
- You don’t need a massive team to ship something meaningful.
- People need platforms that feel human, not performative.
- And most importantly, I learned how design and utility, when rooted in a strong narrative, can help shape and build community life.
The Future of Nestt
Nestt is no longer a hackathon project. It’s now a product I plan to grow, starting with launching it to real alumni communities and onboarding early mentors and recruiters.
There’s still a long road ahead, but I’m excited to be on this journey. We’ll be refining its UI/UX, integrations, onboarding real users, and expanding on what makes Nestt truly special: real connections that lead to real growth.
Thanks to the Dev community, Bolt.new, and to those who made this hackathon happen — and for giving builders like me a platform to make ideas come alive.
Elias (solo builder, dreamer, and Nestter)
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