Why are you participating for Based India?

I've seen brilliant ideas die due to lack of resources. Base India offers a chance to change that. I'm here because I believe in the power of our communities to solve their own problems. BasedCoffee is my attempt to connect local innovators with supporters who understand their challenges. It's not just about funding; it's about empowering our neighborhoods to create the change they need.

What challenges are you focusing on?

I'm addressing the critical funding gap faced by small-time entrepreneurs and local innovators across India. In many communities, brilliant ideas for solving local problems are gathering dust because traditional funding sources aren't accessible. Banks often overlook small ventures, and VCs chase only the next unicorn. I've seen friends with solid business plans wait for years, scraping together savings, just to get their ideas off the ground. This wait not only kills dreams but also holds back entire communities from progress. Additionally, there's a disconnect between these grassroots problem-solvers and community support. Existing platforms don't cater well to local initiatives, making it hard for neighborhoods to back projects that could directly improve their lives.

How does your submission address this challenge?

BasedCoffee tackles the funding gap for small-time entrepreneurs and local innovators in several ways:

1. Accessible Pitching: The platform uses 60-second video pitches, allowing entrepreneurs to showcase their ideas quickly and engagingly. This format levels the playing field, making it possible for anyone with a smartphone to present their project, regardless of their background or writing skills.

2. Rapid Funding Cycles: Unlike traditional funding methods that can take months or years, BasedCoffee allows projects to start receiving funds as soon as they're posted. This speed can be crucial for time-sensitive local initiatives or entrepreneurs who can't afford long waiting periods.

3. Transparent Transactions: Built on smart contracts, every transaction on BasedCoffee is transparent and traceable. This builds trust between creators and backers, crucial in small communities where reputation matters.

4. Micro-investments: The platform allows for small contributions, enabling more community members to participate in funding. This democratizes the investment process, allowing projects to gather support from a broader base rather than relying on a few large investors.

While not included in this version, we plan to implement a robust verification system in the future to further enhance trust and credibility on the platform.

Challenges I ran into

1. Smart Contract Architecture: The need for each creator to have a separate smart contract while maintaining scalability posed a significant challenge. I solved this by implementing a factory contract pattern. This main contract dynamically deploys individual campaign contracts, allowing for flexibility to adapt to different user needs while ensuring scalability as the platform grows.

2. Video Storage and Performance: Handling video content efficiently was crucial for the platform's performance. Videos can be bulky and potentially slow down the site. To address this, I implemented a blob storage solution. This approach allows for faster video loading and streaming, significantly improving the user experience without compromising on the quality of video pitches.

3. Responsive and Intuitive UI Design: Creating a mobile-first UI that's both intuitive and easy to use, while ensuring it works seamlessly on desktop as well, was a complex task. I focused on responsive design principles, using flexible layouts and breakpoints to ensure the interface adapts smoothly across different screen sizes. This required careful consideration of touch interfaces for mobile users while maintaining full functionality for desktop users.

Additional Features

While BasedCoffee was started as a Farcaster frame, for the Buildathon, I revamped it as a mobile-first-video focussed crowdfunding platform.