uLuup

uLuup is a wellness app inspired by Kintsugi. Track daily self-care by placing stones in your bowl. Missed days become cracks, returning fills them with gold. Imperfection becomes beauty.

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Inspiration

The biggest inspiration behind building this app was the shared human experience of struggling with consistency and self-compassion.
Many productivity tools assume linear progress, but real life is messier. For people who deal with perfectionism, ADHD, burnout, or simply too much on their plate — the all-or-nothing mindset often becomes a trap.

This project was born from the desire to break free from that mindset — to create something that celebrates imperfect effort and encourages persistence in a visual, motivating way.

What it does

uLuup is a visual self-tracking app designed to support intentional routines.

Rather than focusing on productivity for its own sake, uLuup emphasizes rhythm, emotional awareness, and the value of showing up imperfectly.

Inspired by concepts like Kintsugi and Wabi Sabi, the app uses metaphors such as BOWL, STONE, CRACKS, and GOLD to represent your progress, struggles, and growth.

It’s for anyone who starts strong but tends to give up after one setback. Instead of reinforcing the idea of failure, uLuup visually encourages users to keep going — even if imperfectly. Because that’s where real change happens.

How we built it

The idea had been brewing for a long time, but the Bolt Hackathon was the catalyst to bring it to life.

The tech stack includes:

  • React Native
  • Expo
  • Firebase (Auth + Firestore)
  • RevenueCat for subscriptions
  • Claude AI for AI-based suggestions
  • Bolt.new as the development platform

Initially, the app was not intended to include AI, but real-world testing made it clear that AI could help personalize the user journey and reduce overwhelm.

Challenges we ran into

From technical hurdles to time constraints, this project had its fair share of challenges:

  • Integrating RevenueCat under tight deadlines.
  • Debugging platform-specific issues as the app grew in complexity.
  • Balancing creative vision with scope management.

And of course, building a full-stack app solo (design, dev, testing) within a few days is a big lift.

Accomplishments that we’re proud of

  • Took an abstract idea and built a fully functional MVP.
  • Learned new tools and APIs (e.g., Claude AI + RevenueCat).
  • Managed to ship a working mobile app despite real-life limitations.
  • Created a lightweight landing page using Netlify + Bolt.new in minutes.
  • Tested successfully on Android and prepared for iOS distribution.

This project represents more than just a product — it's a proof of persistence.

What we learned

  • How to use RevenueCat for managing subscriptions.
  • How to integrate AI APIs like Claude AI into a React Native app.
  • How to plan, design, and build an MVP solo under real-world constraints.
  • Importance of clear documentation (thanks bolt.new and Discord!).
  • That “done” is better than perfect — and shipping is a skill in itself.

What’s next for uLuup

The app is currently in testing on Google Play since the account is new and will be submitted to the Apple App Store shortly.

We plan to:

  • Expand the community model and make the journey more interactive.
  • Add new visual metaphors and AI-powered feedback loops.
  • Explore monetization through ethical premium features.
  • Keep iterating based on user feedback.

The vision is to make uLuup a space for real growth — not through pressure, but through compassion and consistency.

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