The problem FundCatalyst (Decentralized Crowdfunding Platform) solves

In today’s digital age, funding innovative ideas, social causes, and community projects can be a daunting task. Traditional crowdfunding platforms often come with high fees, lengthy approval processes, and limited accessibility for diverse projects. Fund Catalyst addresses these challenges by providing a decentralized, user-friendly platform where anyone can:

1. Access Global Campaigns:
   Explore Diverse Initiatives: Users can browse a wide array of crowdfunding campaigns from around the world, spanning various sectors such as technology, healthcare, education, and social justice.
   Support Meaningful Causes: Easily find and support campaigns that resonate with personal values, making philanthropy more engaging and impactful.
2. Simplified Donation Process:
   Connect via MetaMask: Users can securely connect their MetaMask wallet, enabling seamless transactions without needing to share personal information.
   Instant Donations: With just a few clicks, users can donate Ether directly to campaigns they believe in, ensuring their contributions reach the intended projects promptly.
3. Launch Your Own Campaign:
   Empower Creators: Users can effortlessly create their own crowdfunding campaigns, allowing entrepreneurs, artists, and activists to gain visibility and funding for their ideas.
   Control and Ownership: With decentralized technology, campaign creators retain full control over their projects, fostering a transparent and trustworthy environment.
4. Real-Time Campaign Tracking:
   Transparent Fundraising: Users can track the progress of campaigns in real time, including the target amount, amount collected, and deadline, fostering trust and accountability.
   Engagement with Supporters: Campaign creators can engage with backers through updates and messages, building a community around their projects.

Challenges we ran into

User Experience and Accessibility
Hurdle: Designing an intuitive user interface was crucial, especially for users unfamiliar with cryptocurrency concepts.
Solution: We carried out user testing sessions to gather feedback on the interface, resulting in multiple iterations. By focusing on simplicity and clarity, we created a more accessible platform for both donors and campaign creators.

Smart Contract Deployment Errors
Hurdle: Deploying our smart contracts to the Ethereum network presented significant challenges, including high gas fees and errors that surfaced during the deployment process.
Solution: We used test networks like Ropsten and Rinkeby for preliminary deployments, allowing us to debug and optimize our contracts without incurring costs. We also leveraged development frameworks like Truffle to streamline the deployment process and identify issues early.