The problem FoodLink AI solves

Every day, a large amount of fresh and edible food is wasted by restaurants, canteens, events, and food vendors. At the same time, many people still suffer from hunger and lack of access to basic meals.
The main issue is not food availability, but poor coordination and slow communication between food donors and people who need food. Most food donation processes depend on manual calls, WhatsApp messages, or volunteers’ availability, which often leads to delays and food spoilage.
FoodLink AI solves this by creating a smart and fast way to connect food donors with NGOs, shelters, and volunteers in real time. Using an AI agent, the platform automatically matches surplus food with nearby receivers based on location, quantity, and urgency, reducing waste and improving fair distribution.

Challenges I ran into

One of the main challenges was designing the AI-based matching logic in a short time. Deciding how to prioritize food requests based on distance, time, and availability was tricky.
Another challenge was handling real-time updates and notifications, especially when multiple donors and receivers are active at the same time.
To overcome this, I started with a simple rule-based system and then improved it step by step. I also focused on building a clean and minimal user flow first, instead of adding too many features early. This helped in making the system more stable and easier to test.