HackTech’24 Winners: Interview With Middle-Aged Cyprus Ninja Turtles Team Captain
Traditionally, one of the HackTech’24 challenges was dedicated to projects aiming to transform everyday life in Cyprus, the island we call our home. At our hackathons, we love to witness the passion that so many people have for causes we sometimes could not have even imagined were so vital. This year’s HackTech has once again shed light on a variety of issues and brought them to our attention.
One of them – rescuing baby turtles that get lost in big cities – is something that inspired the Middle-Aged Cyprus Ninja Turtles Team, the winners of the ‘IT Solutions to Improve Life in Cyprus’ Challenge. We spoke to Alexander Mitichev, the team captain, and here is what he shared with us.
About the project: Idea, people, and work
– Congratulations on your winning! Your project, Dogoodr, was inspired by a very touching volunteer initiative – please tell us more about it.
Alexander: It all began with our corporate chat: some manager asked if anyone wanted to join a hackathon in Limassol. Some people responded, forming a team. Later, I was asked if I had any ideas. I didn’t but shared a story about finding baby turtles on the beach that were wandering into urban areas instead of the sea, which often leads to their death due to disorientation from city lights. I suggested we address this issue.
– How did you find people who supported your idea?
Alexander: One of our colleagues, who works remotely from Larnaca and uses a coworking space, discussed the idea with people there. Some showed interest in joining. When it was time to finalize the team, most refused, so only Sergey, Daria and I were left.
We later added Nurlan, a UI developer, and Christian, who was found by Daria. So, it was a kind of umbrella idea that brought us together.
| The team: Developers: Alexander, Christian, Nurlan Product designer: Daria Global data analyst: Sergey |
– How did you decide to reflect this idea in your project?
Alexander: We decided to create Dogoodr – a platform for connecting non-profit event organizers with volunteers, solving the issues of organizational fuss for both sides. Within this platform, volunteers can easily find the events they are willing to participate in and quickly contact the gig organizers.
This tool makes it easier for organizers to recruit, onboard, and manage volunteers, ensuring events run smoothly. Plus, it helps build a valuable pool of experienced and dedicated volunteers for future initiatives in Cyprus.
– Have you managed to implement your ideas within the short timeframe of the Hackathon?
Alexander: Yes, we actually presented the platform’s MVP—the basic functionality was ready, and what we have now perfectly explains the project’s point.
Several more ideas couldn’t fit into the Hackathon’s limited timeframe. Not everything went smoothly, so sometimes we needed to spend time solving issues, fixing bugs, etc. One of the ideas we would like to add in the future is the AI match of volunteers.
– Was it stressful to work in conditions of a limited timeframe?
Alexander: From the very beginning, we all agreed that we were here to have fun. We chose Sergey as our project manager, and part of his role was to occasionally check in and ask, ‘Are we still having fun, or is it not so fun anymore?’.
And yes, it was mostly so, but by the end of the second day, it was pretty clear we didn’t have much energy for fun: we needed to push through and bring the project to MVP.
About the HackTech’24: Impressions and Takeaways
– Why did you decide to visit HackTech?
Alexander: For me, participating in a hackathon is a chance to express myself. At work, we don’t always do what we truly want: we are into the tasks a client pays us to do. That’s why a hackathon is like a breath of fresh air, a chance to create freely.
– And how did you like the event itself?
Alexander: I loved the organization! The Internet connection was just fine, the workstations were convenient, and it was nice to see a clear schedule and use various handy tools. I’d prefer having more power outlets – our team was pretty big – but this wasn’t a real issue though. And, well, it was a running joke that some people came for the food — because it was truly amazing.
About the future plans: Further project development, monetization
– Is your team going to work on the project further?
Alexander: We would like to. After all, we invested much effort and time in this idea and truly believe in it. Right now, there are several questions in front of us:
- Where to find organizations and volunteers who will use it?
- Which monetization model should you choose? Even a non-profit project needs to at least maintain hardware costs.
We have suggested several options within our presentation:
So, right now, I’d be happy to continue working on the project — whether with the full hackathon team or a smaller one.
In a perfect scenario, I would love to find a person who knows the ropes of sales – combining our team’s tech expertise and someone’s sales skills could become a great boost for Doogodr.
We wish Alexander and the rest of the Turtles luck – and if you want to support the project and collaborate with Dogoodr, you are welcome to contact Alexander via email: hard.slot@gmail.com.
