Stark Zuri

Inspiration

I’ve always enjoyed creating and sharing online, but I noticed something frustrating: most social platforms take all the value while creators and users get almost nothing in return. Coming from a community where every coin counts, I wanted to build something different. I wanted a place where the people who make social media valuable get rewarded fairly. Starknet provided me with the tools to make that idea a reality. Its scalability and low fees make micro-rewards finally possible.

What it does

Stark Zuri is a social media app where creators and users earn from engagement. Likes, comments, and interactions aren’t just empty actions; they directly lead to rewards. Users can support each other directly. Advertisers can run clear campaigns that return value to the community. It feels like regular social media, but with fair incentives included.

How we built it

We started by building Stark Zuri with Cairo smart contracts on Starknet and a React.js web frontend. The contracts managed posts, likes, and rewards, while the web interface allowed early testers to explore the platform. After months of feedback, we realized that getting users on board was tougher than we had thought, especially for those with little or no knowledge of blockchain.

Eight months later, we developed a React Native Android app. The mobile version made it easier for users to access the platform, as most of our target audience in Africa primarily uses smartphones to go online. We included account abstraction with OpenZeppelin accounts for an easier login process and connected to Torii to index content feeds. This change made Stark Zuri more user-friendly for people who are not familiar with cryptocurrency.

Challenges we ran into

Learning Cairo 2.x and Dojo to design scalable smart contracts effectively.
Making engagement actions, like likes and comments, cheap and gas-efficient.
Onboarding users with no previous Web3 experience.
Rebuilding the UI from web to mobile while maintaining speed during development.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Deployed working Cairo contracts on Starknet testnet.
Built both web and Android versions, iterating based on user feedback.
Designed a fair rewards system that early testers actually enjoyed using.
Sparked interest in a small but active test community.

What we learned

That blockchain UX has to meet people where they are, mobile-first, simple, and familiar.
How account abstraction can reduce friction for everyday users.
That building a social platform is about more than just code; it’s also about fostering community trust.

What's next for Stark Zuri

We’re getting ready to launch a beta for a bigger community, improve the ZURI reward system, and invite advertisers to try on-chain ad campaigns. Our goal is to grow to thousands of daily active users on Starknet mainnet and show that social media can be fun and rewarding for everyone.