Startup Weekend • 54-hour MVP blueprint

BreatheEasy East Bay

East Bay (Oakland / Berkeley / Alameda & Contra Costa)

Climate + Public Health + Policy

From air data to enforceable action in frontline neighborhoods.

A neighborhood air-quality + freight-exposure dashboard that turns community observations into policy-ready evidence packets for enforcement, mitigation, and investment.

Local fit: Freight corridors, industrial activity, and historic disinvestment create localized air-quality burdens (e.g., near ports and major freeways); a simple evidence workflow can support community groups and agencies.

← Back to finalist list

Core user stories

As a resident, I can see today’s air conditions and a plain-language explanation of what it means for me (and what to do).
As a community organizer, I can generate a shareable ‘evidence packet’ for a hotspot that includes readings, timestamps, photos, and a clear policy ask.
As an agency staffer, I can view anonymized hotspot trends and a short list of recommended interventions (e.g., idling enforcement zones, buffers, truck route changes).

Clickable demo scope (what you build)

Clickable flow: pick neighborhood → view ‘exposure snapshot’ → add an observation (photo + note) → generate a shareable packet link.
Seeded sample data for 3 neighborhoods (mock sensor readings + freight corridor overlays).
One policy-ready output: a one-page packet view + ‘export’ button (PDF optional; a share link is enough).

Team of four roles

Product & Policy Lead: Define what counts as “evidence,” the policy-ask menu, and a simple hotspot scoring rubric.
UX / Frontend: Build the map/snapshot view + observation form + shareable packet page.
Backend / Data: Seed datasets; store observations; implement hotspot scoring and packet generation.
Partnerships / Story / Ops: Talk to 2 EJ orgs + 1 public health contact; craft a story (before/after) and demo script.

54-hour build plan

Hours 0–6: Pick one user segment; do 5–8 quick interviews; lock the “one workflow” MVP.
Hours 6–24: Build the clickable flow end-to-end with stubbed data; draft the policy narrative.
Hours 24–40: Add one policy-ready output (brief/dashboard/export); tighten UX; seed data for 2–3 neighborhoods.
Hours 40–54: Polish demo script; add analytics mock; finalize pitch + one-page handout.

What to show in the final demo

The “happy path” (one user completes the core task in under 2 minutes).
One policy-ready output (a brief, dashboard view, or export).
One local proof point (seeded neighborhoods / agencies / partner types relevant to East Bay (Oakland / Berkeley / Alameda & Contra Costa)).

How it can earn revenue without becoming extractive

Revenue fit (values-aligned): sell a low-cost subscription to local governments/nonprofits, or charge implementation/support for pilots—avoid extractive fees on community participation.

Guardrails: publish scoring criteria, minimize data collection, and default to community ownership where possible (co-op/commons patterns).