Inspiration
Seattle’s event parking is a nightmare. We saw fans paying $60+ for cramped commercial lots while thousands of private driveways sat empty just blocks away. We wanted to build a bridge between the two.
What it does
ParkPal connects drivers seeking affordable, guaranteed parking with homeowners near high-traffic venues. The app features:
Interactive GIS Mapping: Real-time spot discovery with proximity tracking.
Trust Layers: Integrated phone/ID verification and a built-in Host Protection Pool.
Dynamic Booking: A seamless flow for hosts to list and drivers to pay in under 60 seconds.
How we built it
Frontend: Built with React Native for a smooth cross-platform experience. Mapping: Integrated Mapbox/Google Maps APIs for precision geofencing and navigation. Backend: Firebase for real-time database management and authentication.
For Geospatial targeting, we built using python, GeoPandas, and OSMNx. We built an opportunity index algorithm that combines
Demand score (event density, traffic density) Supply score (driveway availability) Economic score (garage prices) Accessibility score (walkability, transit proximity) Although it's just a prototype, we were able to create a solution that can visualize high-demand zones in Seattle to guide launch priorities.
Challenges we ran into
Legal & Regulatory laws: Navigating zoning laws and liability concerns for private property rentals required research and professional consultation. We worked with a contract lawyer to develop terms and conditions, a host agreement form, and a privacy policy.
Trust & Safety: When we asked customers through our google form which received 264 responses, we saw that they were worried about edge cases such as: What if the driver damages my property? What if they don't pay? So we tried to develop a system to manage these by requiring license plates, a check-in/out system to confirm if it's booked, an escrow system to make sure that money is held safely, and more.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
Designing and deploying a fully functional demo app with working booking, listing, messaging, and rating features. Creatively using real-world spatial data in factors like events, pricing, traffic density using GeoPandas to scientifically target launch markets. Conducting a survey of 264 participants validating real demand and trust barriers. Integrating a trust and legal compliance system with Stripe ID and escrow.
What we learned
We learned the value of customer validation, both qualitatively through interviews and surveys but also quantitatively through spatial modeling. The importance of risk management and clear legal frameworks for peer-to-peer platforms. Especially because when designing P2P platforms, there is a lot of variability and risk that comes into play because of how unpredictable people can act and creating a proper system to take care of many legal troubles is important. We had to do research on how Airbnb functions, Doordash, Uber and see how they verify their customers, make sure that orders are being complete properly and that there are no damages.
What's next for ParkPal
We hope to successfully launch this to the App store and get our first few customers in local areas by deploying in Bellevue, Redmond, and nearby areas using our geospatial data insights. We also hope to form an LLC and formalize our business. Finally, we hope to collaborate with local businesses and micro influencers to promote our brand.
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