Leo | Devpost

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Inspiration

Leo was born out of frustration the kind you feel when creativity lives in your head but the world gives you no clean way to express it. Street art has always been raw, emotional, rebellious, and deeply personal, yet most merch platforms reduce it to lifeless templates and mass production. On a personal level, there were moments of feeling unheard, unseen, and creatively stuck where words, designs, and ideas had nowhere to go.

Street art saved us before technology ever did. Graffiti, music, and culture have always been tools for survival for saying “I’m here” without asking permission. Leo exists because we wanted to build a space where expression isn’t filtered, creativity isn’t limited, and identity isn’t compromised. It’s for anyone who’s ever wanted to wear their story, scan a memory, or turn emotion into something physical. Leo isn’t just an app it’s a response to being boxed in.

What it does

Leo is a street art powered merch and media platform that lets users design, personalize, and own culture.

Users can: Design AI-generated graffiti merch (hoodies, jackets, stickers) using natural language prompts. Create custom QR audio keychains, where a scan unlocks personal voice notes, music, or memories. Host and join “YOUR WORDS” watch parties, preserving raw expression through recorded or live video. Shop and checkout real merch using Stripe payments. Listen to curated hype playlists via Spotify integration. Chat with an AI creative assistant that helps design merch, generate ideas, and guide customization. Everything is stored securely to the user’s profile designs, orders, audio, and videos turning creativity into a personal archive.

How we built it

Leo is built as a full-stack, production-ready mobile app using modern, scalable tools: React Native + Expo Router for cross-platform Android/iOS support NativeWind (TailwindCSS) for a consistent dark neon graffiti UI Firebase Authentication for secure email/password login Firestore for persistent user data (designs, orders, watch parties) Firebase Storage for images, audio, and video uploads Gemini AI API for design generation and conversational assistance Stripe PaymentSheet for real, test-mode purchases Spotify integration for a fixed hype playlist experience QR generation to bridge physical merch with digital memories Cloud Functions to securely handle payments server-side We designed Leo with guest access, protected routes, offline-friendly flows, and scalable architecture so it works both as a hackathon demo and a real product.

Challenges we ran into

One of the biggest challenges was making creativity feel physical. Translating abstract emotions into AI designs, audio memories, and merch that feels authentic not gimmicky required constant iteration.

Technically, integrating payments, storage, authentication, AI, and media into one seamless experience was complex. Managing secure Stripe flows, Firebase rules, and media uploads while keeping the app fast and visually heavy was a balancing act.

Another challenge was design restraint. Neon, graffiti, animation, and motion can easily become overwhelming. Making the app loud but usable expressive but accessible took intentional UI decisions.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Building a real, end-to-end product, not just a concept. Successfully integrating AI, payments, storage, and media into one cohesive flow. Creating a distinct visual identity that feels cultural, not corporate. Designing a system where physical merch carries digital meaning. Making creativity accessible no design skills required, just expression. Most importantly, we’re proud that Leo feels honest. It doesn’t pretend to be perfect it feels alive.

What we learned

We learned that technology hits hardest when it’s emotional. The best features weren’t the most complex they were the ones that helped people say something they couldn’t before.

We also learned the importance of scalable thinking even in a hackathon. Building with real authentication, payments, and storage forced us to think like product builders, not just demo creators.

Lastly, we learned that culture can be engineered respectfully if you listen before you build.

What's next for Leo

Leo is just getting started. Next, we plan to: Launch live YOUR WORDS watch parties using real-time video streaming Introduce creator profiles and public drops Add AR previews for merch Enable collaborative designs and community voting Expand into limited streetwear releases and artist partnerships The goal isn’t just to sell merch it’s to build a platform where stories live longer than posts. Leo exists so expression doesn’t disappear. You design it. You wear it. You own it.