Startup Connect

home page
Startup Dashboard Upon Login
Social Group Hub Feature
Continuation of Dashboard with leaderboard, notifications, and news
Mental Health and Wellness Assessment Form
Pitch Deck Generation
Scale Up Page with User stats and Daily Achievements
Message to Get Achievement Verified
Gamification Pending Option
Social Hub Creating Discussion Post
Discussions in Social Hub
VC Firms Listings page
Examples of VC Firm Listings
VC Firm Posting

🌟 Inspiration

Startups face steep challenges—not just in securing funding but in navigating growth, networking, and maintaining resilience. We wanted to create a platform that doesn’t just connect startups to VCs but actively supports their journey with AI-driven insights, gamification, and mental health resources.

🔍 What it does

StartupConnect is a full-stack networking and recommendation platform designed for early-stage startups and VC firms. It leverages AI to provide predictive insights, pitch improvement suggestions, and investor outreach assistance, while also integrating gamification and mental health check-ins to keep founders engaged and resilient.

⚙️ How we built it

Frontend: 🖥️ Angular, TypeScript, SCSS for an intuitive interface.
Backend: 🛠️ Flask (Python) with PostgreSQL for robust data handling.
Authentication: 🔐 Firebase Auth for secure login.
AI: 🤖 Perplexity Sonar API for market analysis and pitch optimization.
Finance API: 💸 QuickBooks integration (in future roadmap) for real-time financial projections.

🚧 Challenges we ran into

We faced difficulties obtaining the API key for AI integrations, which delayed predictive analytics and pitch improvement features. Additionally, integrating the backend with AI-driven functionalities proved complex , particularly in parsing VC pitch decks and anomaly detection for startups.

🏆 Accomplishments that we're proud of

✅ Successfully developed a dynamic recommendation system for startup–VC matchmaking.
🎮 Built an engaging gamification system, including XP tracking, badges, and a leaderboard .
🚀 Designed a seamless onboarding experience for startups and VCs.
💙 Created a robust mental health support system with weekly check-ins.

📚 What we learned

🔑 API integrations can be trickier than expected—having backup solutions is crucial.
📊 Predictive analytics can drastically improve investor appeal when paired with structured data collection.
🎯 Gamification drives engagement, but finding the right balance between fun and functionality is essential.
❤️ The startup journey isn't just about funding; mental health plays a huge role in long-term success.