Takeoff

Navigate your professional journey with AI Precision. (SOFTWARE TRACK)

Comment

Inspiration (SOFTWARE TRACK)

The global hiring system is stuck in the past. While companies face "critical talent shortages," millions of skilled individuals remain underemployed. We realized that for most students and career switchers, the problem isn't a lack of motivation—it's a navigation problem. We were inspired by Duolingo’s ability to turn a daunting task like learning a language into a dopamine-fueled habit. We asked: What if we could do the same for your career? Takeoff was born to bridge the gap between "directionless learning" and market readiness.

What it does

Takeoff is a dynamic career navigation system for professional growth.

  • The Co-Pilot (Mobile): A cross-platform mobile app built for high-intensity, on-the-go maintenance. It features a Voice AI Pocket-Companion (powered by OpenAI) for real-time interview and negotiation practice.
  • Daily Missions: Uses a streak system and push notifications to keep users engaged with micro-tasks like elevator pitches or networking goals.
  • The Progress Bar: A visual, interactable career map that gamifies professional development, allowing users to see where they rank and what milestones they need to hit next.
  • Real-Time Feedback: Instead of the "black hole" of job applications, users get instant AI-driven scoring and tips on their performance.

How we built it

To ensure Takeoff could reach everyone, everywhere, we focused on a highly scalable, cross-platform architecture:

  • Frontend: Built with React Native and Expo. This allows Takeoff to run seamlessly on Android, iOS, and Web browsers from a single codebase, ensuring zero friction for users regardless of their device.
  • Backend: Powered by Supabase for real-time database management and authentication.
  • AI Engine: We integrated OpenAI LLMs to handle complex voice interactions, real-time feedback, and the generation of personalized daily missions.
  • Voice/Video: Implemented using WebRTC to ensure ultra-low latency during AI coaching sessions.

Challenges we ran into

Building a voice-first AI interface that feels "human" and responsive was our biggest hurdle. Managing ultra-low latency with the OpenAI Realtime API, so that users could have a natural back-and-forth conversation, required significant optimization of our WebRTC implementation. Additionally, balancing the complex data of a "career map" into a "digestible" mobile UI required several design iterations to avoid overwhelming the user.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We successfully built a functional cross-platform prototype that solves a real-world problem. We are particularly proud of the Voice AI scoring system, which not only listens but also identifies trends and specific areas for improvement. Seeing the "Progress Bar" come to life as a gamified map felt like the moment Takeoff became more than just a tool: it became a journey.

What we learned

We learned that the "AI Effect" doesn't have to be a source of fear. When AI is used for navigation and real-time correction rather than just content generation, it becomes an empowering co-pilot. We also gained deep experience in deploying a single-codebase app across three different platforms (iOS, Android, Web) while maintaining high performance.

What's next for Takeoff - Viable Venture / Startup

Takeoff is designed to be a viable venture with a massive market valuation. Our roadmap includes:

1) Monetization: Launching a $15–$30/month subscription model and premium one-on-one AI coaching for high-stakes negotiations. 2) B2B Expansion: Licensing the platform to universities and bootcamps to help them track and improve student outcomes. 3) Vetted Talent Pipeline: Partnering with recruiters to provide them with "pre-vetted" talent based on performance data within the app.

The career coaching market is projected to reach $23.5 billion by 2034. Takeoff isn't just an app; it's the future of how the world gets to work.

Share this project:

Updates