About the Project

ScrapBite is an AI-powered platform that makes donating and claiming surplus food simple, fast, and reliable. It uses AI to verify uploaded photos and prevent incorrect listings—for example, if someone tries to list oranges but uploads a photo of a remote control, the listing is automatically rejected. The platform also keeps inventory up to date in real time. If a donation has 13 strawberries available and someone claims 2 by taking a pickup photo, the available quantity automatically updates from 13 to 11 for everyone using the platform.

Inspiration

We created ScrapBite after seeing how much perfectly good food is thrown away while many people nearby still struggle to access meals. Existing donation systems often rely on spreadsheets, outdated inventory lists, or slow communication, making the process frustrating for both donors and recipients. We wanted to make food sharing as easy as ordering food online. By combining AI with real-time updates, ScrapBite removes unnecessary steps and helps communities rescue more food before it goes to waste.

What It Does

ScrapBite connects local donors with nearby recipients through a live, interactive map where users can quickly list or find surplus food. Every uploaded photo is analyzed using Gemini AI to make sure it matches the listing, preventing incorrect or fake donations. For example, if someone claims to donate oranges but uploads a photo of a remote control, the listing is automatically rejected. The platform also features smart inventory tracking that updates item quantities in real time. If a donation starts with 13 strawberries and someone claims 2 during pickup, the available inventory instantly changes from 13 to 11 for every user. In addition, a built-in Gemini-powered AI assistant answers questions, provides food safety guidance, and helps users navigate the donation and pickup process.

How We Built It

We built the frontend using modern web technologies and Tailwind CSS to create a clean, responsive, and user-friendly interface. Gemini AI powers both the image verification system and the interactive AI assistant, allowing the platform to understand uploaded photos and respond intelligently to users. We also implemented real-time state management and mapping so inventory levels and pickup locations stay synchronized across the platform, ensuring everyone always sees the latest information.

Challenges We Faced

One of the biggest challenges was making image verification reliable. We spent time refining prompts and validation logic so the AI could accurately distinguish between similar food items while minimizing false positives. Another challenge was keeping inventory synchronized in real time. We needed to ensure that once someone claimed part of a donation, every user immediately saw the updated quantity to prevent duplicate claims. At the same time, we focused on creating a simple and intuitive interface despite the advanced AI features running behind the scenes.

What We're Proud Of

We're proud of successfully integrating multimodal AI so ScrapBite can automatically verify uploaded donations instead of relying on manual moderation. We also created a smooth user experience that allows people to list or claim food in just a few steps. Finally, we built a real-time inventory system that keeps donations accurate and up to date, making the entire process feel seamless and reliable.

What We Learned

Building ScrapBite taught us how important prompt engineering and error handling are when working with AI vision models. We also learned that user experience is just as important as the technology itself. Keeping the interface simple encourages more people to participate in food sharing and makes the platform accessible to everyone. Combining AI with live location mapping and automated inventory updates showed us how technology can solve real logistical challenges and make community food sharing significantly more efficient.

What's Next for ScrapBite

Our next goal is to partner with grocery stores, bakeries, restaurants, and other local businesses so they can donate surplus food directly through ScrapBite. We also plan to make the AI assistant more personalized by recommending nearby food based on user preferences and notifying users when relevant items become available. As the platform grows, we hope to build stronger local food-sharing communities, rescue more surplus food, reduce food waste, lower CO₂ emissions, and help more people access nutritious meals.

Built With

• gemini
• lovable.ai