Harthio

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  Harthio

Inspiration In 2023, my life changed in an instant. A terrible accident broke both of my legs. After a successful surgery, I was hopeful. But then, complications arose. What should have been a recovery turned into a two-year fight for my life in a hospital bed. The physical pain was one thing, but the isolation was another. There were so many days and nights where I just needed to talk to someone who understood—not just a doctor, but another human being who could sit with me in that struggle. That person was incredibly hard to find. Three months ago, the fight became even harder. To save my life, I made the impossible decision to have an amputation. As I finally began to regain my health, a new need emerged. I was alive, but my old life was gone. My mind was racing with questions about my future. ‘What can I build now? What am I still capable of? Who am I, after all of this?’ I desperately needed to talk to founders, to innovators, to people who could help me brainstorm the next chapter of my life. But once again, I hit a wall. There was no platform to find those specific, meaningful conversations. There was no way to say, ‘I need to talk about this, with someone like you, right now. That wall is the reason Harthio exists. I built the platform I needed but couldn't find. A place where no one has to face their biggest challenges, or brainstorm their brightest ideas, alone. Harthio is more than an app to me. It's the answer to a question that defined two of the hardest years of my life.

What it does Harthio connects people through intentional, judgment-free video conversations with others who’ve lived similar experiences. Whether you're recovering from trauma, navigating a life transition, or seeking inspiration, Harthio helps you find someone who truly understands. Users can create or join sessions, approve participants, and meet at scheduled times—all designed to foster empathy, trust, and meaningful dialogue.

How we built it We built Harthio using Kiro, leveraging its spec-driven architecture to define core flows like session creation, matching, and approvals. Agent hooks automate reminders and onboarding, while steering ensures conversations maintain an empathetic tone. The system was built with React, Typescript NextJs Webrtc video-calling and Supabase

Challenges we ran into

• Designing a matching system that feels intentional, not random
• Ensuring emotional safety during conversations
• Integrating Kiro’s agentic features while maintaining a clean UX
• Building trust in a platform that handles deeply personal interactions

Accomplishments that we're proud of

• Creating a platform that has already helped users feel less alone
• Building a working MVP in weeks using Kiro’s agentic tools
• Receiving heartfelt testimonials from early users
• Designing a system that balances automation with human warmth

What we learned

• Empathy can be engineered—but only if you design for it intentionally
• Kiro’s spec-first approach accelerates development and clarifies user flows
• Emotional design is just as important as technical design
• People crave connection more than advice—they want to feel understood

What's next for Harthio

• Launching a mobile app for easier access
• Expanding our listener network across diverse life experiences
• Adding AI-powered session recommendations based on emotional needs
• Partnering with mental health organizations to offer Harthio as a support tool
• Building a “founder-to-founder” channel to help innovators brainstorm their next chapter

Built With

• nextjs
• react
• resend
• supabase
• typescript
• vercel
• video-calling
• webrtc