OpenAI 2026 hackathon

Stink Radar

Empowering consumers to influence how the world smells

Solo project by StinkRadar Schmidt · 0 likes · 0 comments

Archive position — measured, not model output

0 likes on Devpost

2,264 of the 7,856 archived projects have more likes, and 5,592 share exactly 0 — so this project's #6,965 place in the like-ranked listing is a tie-break inside that group, not a ranking.

Projects (log scale)

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Likes on Devpost. ▲ marks this project's group.

Show the figures
LikesProjectsShare of archive
05,59271.2%
11,75822.4%
22853.6%
3–41321.7%
5–9751.0%
10+140.2%
Devpost like counts for all 7,856 archived projects, captured when this archive was built.

Executive Summary

What the company appears to be

StinkRadar is a self-reported consumer platform for discovering, rating, and sharing experiences that either smell good or stink. It allows users to report literal scent experiences as well as intangible "stink" related to product performance, promises, customer care, and more. The platform includes a "Make It Right" feature enabling companies to respond to reports and offer solutions.

What changed

The project was submitted as part of the OpenAI 2026 hackathon. It is described as an MVP built using Codex and GPT-5.6 by a single founder, with no evidence of prior traction or revenue.

Single most important open question

Is there any evidence that consumers are actively using this platform or that businesses are engaging with it? The description states the goal is to empower consumers but does not substantiate adoption or engagement levels.

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What The Product Actually Is

The description states:

  • StinkRadar is a consumer platform for discovering, rating, and sharing experiences that either smell good or stink.
  • Users can report literal scent experiences connected to places and products.
  • They can also flag companies, services, and products that “stink” because they do not live up to their promises in areas such as functionality, quality, honesty, or customer care.
  • The platform includes a "Make It Right" feature where businesses can respond to reports and offer solutions.

Inference The product appears to be a hybrid of a review system and a feedback mechanism, with an emphasis on accountability and resolution.

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Positioning & Claim Evolution

The description states:

  • StinkRadar was created to give consumers a voice and make the gap between promises and reality visible.
  • It aims to turn individual experiences into structured and constructive feedback.
  • The platform is built around accountability but also second chances, through the "Make It Right" feature.

Inference The positioning evolved from a simple idea — “Why can’t we review smells?” — into a broader consumer platform for revealing what smells good, what works well, and what simply stinks. The evolution includes a focus on constructive feedback and business accountability.

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Target Customer & ICP

The description states:

  • StinkRadar is a platform for consumers to report experiences that smell good or stink.
  • It targets users who want to influence how the world smells, including those reporting literal scent issues and intangible "stink" related to services or products.

Inference The primary customer is the individual consumer, with secondary engagement from businesses responding to reports. No specific ICP segmentation is described beyond general user types.

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Business Model & Pricing Evidence

The description states:

  • The platform aims to turn individual experiences into structured and constructive feedback.
  • It includes future features like consumer influence scores, business insights, verified Smelling Good awards, warnings when promises and reality do not match, and an annual StinkRadar gala.

Inference There is no evidence of a current pricing model or monetization strategy. The description implies potential future revenue streams through business insights, awards, and community features.

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Technical & Delivery Signals

The description states:

  • The platform was built using Codex with GPT-5.6 as a creative and technical partner.
  • It includes an MVP and future development plans such as expanding the rating system, location discovery, verification, trend analysis, and community features.
  • A non-technical founder used these tools to turn an idea into a working product direction.

Inference The platform is built using AI-assisted tools, with no evidence of traditional engineering or software architecture. The MVP is described as functional but not yet fully developed.

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Traction & Maturity Signals

The description states:

  • StinkRadar was submitted to the OpenAI 2026 hackathon.
  • It is described as an MVP built by a single founder using AI tools.
  • No evidence of revenue, customers, or user engagement beyond the project submission.

Inference There is no evidence of traction, adoption, or user base. The platform is in early development and not yet live for public use.

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Competitive Context

The description states:

  • Smell affects how we experience restaurants, hotels, shops, public spaces, products, and everyday life.
  • Consumers have no simple way to share this invisible part of an experience.
  • The goal is not only to expose problems or punish businesses but also to encourage improvement.

Inference The competitive context includes traditional review platforms (e.g., Yelp, Google Reviews) but with a unique focus on scent and intangible experiences. No direct competitors are named.

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Key Risks & Red Flags

  • No traction or revenue: The platform is described as an MVP submitted to a hackathon with no evidence of real-world usage.
  • Unverified claims: All features, functionality, and future plans are self-reported without independent verification.
  • AI dependency: The entire product was built using AI tools, raising questions about scalability, control, and long-term viability.
  • Lack of business model clarity: No monetization strategy is evident beyond vague future features.

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Diligence Questions To Ask The Founders

  1. What specific user feedback or engagement has been observed since the MVP launch?
  2. How will StinkRadar ensure fairness and prevent abuse in reporting?
  3. What is the plan for monetization, and how does it align with user experience?
  4. Are there any partnerships or pilot programs with businesses or municipalities?
  5. How does the "Make It Right" feature work in practice, and what are the success rates of resolved issues?

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Investment/Partnership Verdict

Not evidenced.

The description provides no information on revenue, customers, traction, or business performance. The platform is described as an MVP built by a single founder using AI tools for a hackathon submission. No evidence supports commercial viability or investment potential at this stage.

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Source

Submitted to the OpenAI 2026 hackathon on Devpost. Project home on DevPost.

The analysis above was generated by a language model from the project's own one-line description. It is not independent research and contains no verified traction, revenue or customer data.