Have you ever lost your phone, wallet, or keys and wished there was an easy way to get them back?

That’s exactly what I thought when I was a university student and participated in a competition of projects.

The idea that came to my mind was a website called Foundit that could revolutionize the way we keep our belongings safe.

Sadly, we lost to a project about leftover soap pieces, but I still believe Foundit could have made a real difference.

Background

Back in my university days (2017), I participated in a competition of projects with some of my classmates.

We were asked to come up with ideas that could make a difference in our communities or the world.

I remember being fascinated by the possibilities and brainstorming with my team for hours.

That’s when the idea of Foundit came to me. I thought to myself, “Wouldn’t it be amazing if there was a way to easily find lost items with just a few clicks?”

Foundit

So, I created Foundit, a website / mobile app that could help people easily find their lost items.

The concept was simple: Users would enter their information into the website, download QR stickers, print them out, and attach them to any item they didn’t want to lose. When the item was found, the person who found it could scan the QR code and get in touch with the owner. It was a simple and effective solution to a common problem.

Features / Challenges / Ideas

We had many ideas for Foundit, but we didn’t have enough time to implement them all. Here are some of the features we wanted to add:

For example, we could have expanded the concept to make keychains and bracelets with QR codes that people with Alzheimer’s could use. We also thought of including a map feature to make it easier for people to track down their lost items.

However, developing the website was not without its challenges.

I had to learn new technologies, test and tweak the app, and create an easy-to-use interface for users. I was a beginner at the time, so it took me a while to get everything right. I learned a lot from the experience, though.

The Competition

Although we didn’t win the competition, I still believe that Foundit could have made a real impact.

We received positive feedback from judges and potential users, who were excited about the possibility of keeping their items safe.

But I remember being disappointed when some of the judges said that our project will never work because you’re in Tunisia. People don’t know what QR codes are, they said.

I thought to myself, “How could they say that? We’re trying to solve a real problem here!”.

All teams had to present their projects in front of a panel of judges… and we lost to a project about leftover soap pieces.

Yes, you read that right. A project about leftover soap pieces. I still don’t understand how they won… I was building the app / website from scratch for hours… and they just used leftover soap pieces. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

My reaction:

After the Competition

After the competition, I published Foundit on the Google Play Store and the website on the web (Open Source) Click here to check it out on GitHub

I also created a Product Hunt page for Foundit, and I was happy to see that people liked the idea. 3rd place in the “Product of the Day”

3rd place in the “Product of the Day” is not a small achievement. I see people who have been working on their projects for years and still don’t get that far.

Conclusion

Even though we lost to a project about leftover soap pieces, I still feel proud of what we accomplished with Foundit. The experience taught me a lot about entrepreneurship, teamwork, and innovation.

In conclusion, the story of Foundit is a reminder that sometimes the best ideas don’t always win.

However, it’s important to keep striving for innovation and making a difference in the world.

I hope you enjoyed reading this story. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below.