OpenAI 2026 hackathon

Tavolen

A temporary, opt-in roster that helps everyone at a round table stay connected.

Solo project by Andrey Vyshlov · 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 #7,152 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

Tavolen is a temporary, opt-in roster tool designed for round-table events. It allows attendees to share public profiles via a shared link or QR code, with no permanent accounts or data retention beyond 24 hours.

What changed

The project evolved from an initial LinkedIn-only prototype into a multi-platform solution supporting GitHub and manual profile entry, using Codex and GPT-5.6 for development during OpenAI Build Week 2026.

Single most important open question

Is there any evidence of user adoption or feedback beyond the author’s own account?

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What The Product Actually Is

The description states that Tavolen is a mobile-first web application built with Node.js and Express, using SQLite for storage. It enables users to create temporary tables for round-table events, where participants can add public profiles (via GitHub OAuth or manual entry) and download rosters as vCards.

  • The product requires no installation.
  • Tables are automatically deleted after 24 hours.
  • Profiles are stored only temporarily and do not include sensitive data like email addresses or photos.
  • It supports GitHub profile import with immediate OAuth token revocation.
  • LinkedIn import exists but is disabled for ordinary users due to pending approval.

Evidence

  • The author describes Tavolen as a “mobile-first Node.js and Express web application with SQLite storage.”
  • GitHub OAuth is used without requesting email or private data scopes.
  • Profiles are not stored permanently; only display name, optional URL, source, and timestamp are retained.
  • The system supports manual profile entry and vCard export.

Inference The product appears to be a lightweight, privacy-focused tool for event networking, likely aimed at technical communities or developer meetups.

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Positioning & Claim Evolution

The author positions Tavolen as a solution to the awkwardness of post-meeting introductions, replacing traditional methods like “working their way around the table finding one another on LinkedIn.”

  • The tagline: “A temporary, opt-in roster that helps everyone at a round table stay connected.” reflects this intent.
  • The original prototype focused solely on LinkedIn.
  • During Build Week, it expanded to support multiple platforms (GitHub and manual entry), while maintaining its core model of temporary sharing.

Evidence

  • Inspiration came from attending a round-table event in June 2026.
  • Original prototype was built with Claude and targeted LinkedIn.
  • The evolution occurred during OpenAI Build Week 2026, incorporating Codex and GPT-5.6.

Inference Tavolen evolved from a niche tool (LinkedIn) to a broader platform (multi-source), driven by the author’s decision to prioritize GitHub for developer events and avoid long-term data retention.

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Target Customer & ICP

The description implies that Tavolen targets attendees at round-table events, particularly those in technical or developer communities. The author notes that GitHub profile import was prioritized for such settings.

  • No explicit customer segmentation beyond “event attendees” is provided.
  • The tool does not appear to target organizations or recurring groups — it’s designed for one-time use during meetings or conferences.

Evidence

  • The inspiration came from a round-table event.
  • GitHub integration is emphasized as suitable for technical round tables.
  • No mention of B2B customers, recurring usage, or organizational accounts.

Inference The ICP likely includes individuals attending developer meetups, hackathons, or informal tech gatherings where short-term networking is valuable.

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Business Model & Pricing Evidence

There is no evidence in the description of a business model or pricing structure. The tool is described as requiring no installation and creating no permanent accounts — suggesting it may be free to use, but this is not stated explicitly.

Evidence

  • No mention of monetization.
  • No pricing information.
  • No indication of paid features or subscriptions.
  • The tool does not require user registration or account creation.

Inference It appears to operate without a formal business model at this stage. If monetized, it would likely be through freemium or usage-based models, but there is no evidence of such plans.

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Technical & Delivery Signals

Tavolen is built using Node.js, Express, SQLite, and integrates with GitHub OAuth and Codex/GPT-5.6 for development. It uses short-lived OAuth transactions to ensure privacy and security.

  • Profiles are imported via GitHub OAuth without storing tokens.
  • Manual profile entry is supported as a fallback.
  • The system supports vCard exports.
  • Deployment was done securely, with OAuth configuration managed independently.

Evidence

  • Built with Caddy, Docker, Express.js, GitHub OAuth, GPT-5.6, Node.js, SQLite.
  • OAuth grants are revoked immediately after use.
  • GitHub profile import is implemented with token revocation.
  • vCard export functionality exists.
  • Deployment was handled during Build Week using Codex and GPT-5.6.

Inference The technical stack suggests a minimal viable product (MVP) built quickly using modern tools, with strong emphasis on user privacy and secure data handling.

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Traction & Maturity Signals

There is no evidence of traction, customers, or adoption beyond the author’s own account. No metrics, usage statistics, or feedback are provided.

Evidence

  • No mention of active users.
  • No revenue or customer base described.
  • No product analytics or user engagement data shared.
  • The project was submitted to a hackathon and is not described as live or in production.

Inference The tool remains in early-stage development, likely still in prototype or beta form. It has not yet demonstrated real-world usage or market validation.

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Competitive Context

There is no evidence of competitors mentioned in the description. The author does not reference similar tools or platforms for event networking or temporary roster management.

Evidence

  • No competitive analysis.
  • No comparison to existing products.
  • No mention of alternative solutions or market gaps addressed.

Inference The competitive landscape is unknown, but given its focus on temporary, opt-in sharing and privacy, it may overlap with tools like LinkedIn’s networking features or event apps — though none are named.

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Key Risks & Red Flags

Several key risks and red flags emerge from the lack of evidence:

  • No traction or adoption — The tool is described only in concept and prototype form.
  • Limited platform support — Only GitHub is fully functional; LinkedIn import is disabled.
  • Single-person team — The project was built by one individual, raising questions about scalability and long-term maintenance.
  • Unverified claims — All descriptions are self-reported and unverified.

Evidence

  • No evidence of users or feedback.
  • Only one developer listed.
  • LinkedIn import is not available to regular users.
  • No product roadmap or future plans described.

Inference The project lacks commercial viability or traction. Its success depends on user demand, which is not evidenced here.

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Diligence Questions To Ask The Founders

  1. Has the tool been tested with real users at events?
  2. What specific feedback have you received from attendees who tried it?
  3. Are there any plans to expand beyond GitHub and manual entry?
  4. How do you intend to scale or monetize this product if it gains traction?
  5. What are your thoughts on expanding into other platforms (e.g., LinkedIn, Twitter)?
  6. Do you have any data on how many people use the tool per event?

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Investment/Partnership Verdict

There is no evidence of revenue, customers, or traction to support an investment or partnership decision at this time.

  • The project is described as a prototype built during a hackathon.
  • No business model or monetization strategy is evident.
  • It has not demonstrated real-world usage or adoption.
  • The author is the sole contributor, and no team or infrastructure is mentioned beyond the initial build.

Inference This is an early-stage idea with strong privacy design but no commercial validation. It may be worth revisiting once traction or a clear path to monetization emerges. As of now, it does not meet criteria for investment or partnership consideration based on the provided evidence.

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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.