Branch

Welcome to Branch
Discovery
Messages
Communities

(i) Project Description

Branch is a mobile app built to help people build stronger connections through shared outdoor experiences. Whether you’re into surfing, bouldering, running, or anything else — Branch helps you find your community, connect with others, and meet new friends. In just 24 hours, we grew this idea into a fully working prototype that allows users to join fun, outdoorsy communities and get out-and-about whenever they want! We developed this project as a submission for the 2025 5C Hackathon Maker track, with overlays in Best Sustainability Hack and Best 5C Community Hack. Branch’s mission centers around the theme of connection—creating a friendly environment for participants to branch out, meet new friends, and create bonds through shared interests, while also promoting a deeper connection to the outdoors. Programmed in JavaScript, we used React Native and Expo SDK as our front-end framework, and Firebase Auth, Firestore, and Cloud Storage for our backend infrastructure. In developing Branch, we applied ethical design principles at every step of the process—foregoing addictive scrolling, streamlining the user experience, and actively encouraging real-world engagement—to protect user well-being and prevent harmful overuse.

(ii) Purpose

It’s easy to join a club, but hard to turn acquaintances into adventure buddies. Whether it’s hiking or surfing, we wanted to create an environment that makes exploring new hobbies and friendships a completely frictionless process. Branch solves this by eliminating logistical barriers and social stigmas that prevent the maximization of fulfilling experiences. By connecting users and handling availability, planning your next adventure is as easy as possible. College is such a unique opportunity—you're surrounded by people of all backgrounds and interests. Yet, too often, we miss out on connections simply because we don’t know who’s down to do what, when. Even among close friends, hectic schedules mean weeknight plans to hit the climbing gym fall through, or weekend camping trips never make it out of the group chat.

(iii) How It Works

Users simply create a profile, select their interests (e.g., running, camping), and mark their weekly availability. Based on this, they’re placed into communities of people with similar interests, shown on the Communities Screen—a hub for both your current groups and suggested ones. Tapping a community opens the Discover Screen, where users are matched with others based on shared time availability for their specific interests. Once two people like each other, they’re connected in a chat interface similar to iMessage, where they can coordinate their next adventure. A bottom navigation bar ensures smooth app navigation, and we emphasized an experience that is visual, intuitive, and built for real-world interaction—not endless swiping.