Inspiration We realized: there’s no platform that bridges the gap between real-world contributions and real compensation. So we built one.
How we built it We launched a full landing page live during the hackathon, collecting over 60 signups in less than 36 hours. The MVP was built using React, Supabase for form data, and GitHub OAuth to simulate contribution verification. While the UI was lightweight, it simulated the core flow: submit GitHub profile, choose a role, and get added to the waitlist — validating interest and demand from real devs in real time.
Challenges we ran into Balancing technical ambition with the time crunch of a hackathon.
Figuring out how to simulate auto-verification of GitHub merges without access to full GitHub API scopes.
Messaging: making the platform easy to explain to both devs and non-dev funders without overcomplicating the value prop.
Prioritizing core features vs. nice-to-haves under pressure.
Accomplishments that we're proud of 60+ early signups from real student devs in under 36 hours + many more prior .
Strong validation from in-person feedback — 90% of students said they would use MergeFund.
Built a functional landing page, live brand, and clear roadmap from idea to product — all during the hackathon.
Created a pitch, one-pager, and working prototype that captured real attention.
What we learned People > product in early stages — talking to users first helped us cut fluff and focus.
The open-source funding problem is real — and students are ready to be paid to learn by doing.
Rapid validation is better than perfection — the MVP doesn’t need to be pretty, it needs to prove demand.
🔮 What's next for MergeFund Launch our beta with real bounties and GitHub integration this summer.
Onboard 3–5 open-source projects to test payouts and workflows.
Apply to fast grants, university dev orgs, and partner with hackathons for sponsored bounties.
Long-term: build the dev reputation layer on top of GitHub — where contributions fund your future.
Built With
- githubapi
- nextjs
- supabase
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