Inspiration
Our team came together during the hackathon to pitch ideas and brainstorm what could be built in a short time frame—and what might even evolve into a real app. We all know the struggle of organizing group trips or events with friends, and the discomfort that comes from tracking expenses or reminding someone to pay up. Recognizing these shared pain points, we looked at what existing apps were offering and realized that no one was tackling expense tracking the way we envisioned. That's how SyncUp was born.
What it does
SyncUp simplifies group events and expense tracking. It allows you to create a group for any outing, schedule activities, and log expenses in one place. With SyncUp, you can easily monitor who has paid and who hasn't, ensuring that bills are split fairly and awkward money conversations become a thing of the past.
How we built it
We started by pitching ideas and outlining a clear vision for SyncUp.
Our tech stack included:
- Back End: Python, Flask and PostgreSQL
- Front End: React and Tailwind CSS
- Communication & Coordination: Google Meets and WhentoMeet
- Documentation: Notion
- Design & Wireframing: Figma and Canva
We prototyped and wireframed the app early on, then planned out the technical details, including the database schema and overall connectivity. Our approach was iterative—we refined the app’s features and design through constant feedback, ensuring every detail was meticulously planned from the start.
Challenges we ran into
One significant hurdle was integrating the Twilio API for sending email notifications about unpaid expenses. Setting up and troubleshooting this third-party service added complexity to our tight development timeline. Additionally, fine-tuning the database connections required unexpected, last-minute adjustments.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
We’re proud that we nailed down the core concept and established a solid foundation for SyncUp. We finalized the app designs for the core pages and populated them with mock data. Our team successfully set up and ran the database structure, and we polished and tested the front end with mock data. In the end, wiring up the back end to the front end is what remained.
What we learned
This hackathon taught us the value of detailed planning and agile development. Even with a clear vision and well-thought-out prototypes, unexpected technical challenges arose—reinforcing the importance of adaptability. We also deepened our understanding of integrating third-party APIs and managing complex database structures under pressure.
What's next for SyncUp: Simplify Group Events and Expenses
We're excited about the future of SyncUp. Our next steps include:
- Allowing users to select their interests during sign-up.
- Enabling users to make events public so that others can join.
- Introducing location-based features to see users and events near you.
- Developing an AI-driven recommendation system to help you discover events that match your interests.
- Creating an event timeline where you can upload pictures and highlights to keep track of your best memories.
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