TerraGuard reposted this
This year didn’t feel like something that could be summarized quickly, which is probably why this reflection is coming a little late. Looking back now, the past year brought a series of opportunities that quietly reshaped how I think, work, and grow. From the outside, it looks like a list of events. From the inside, it feels like a chain of realizations. It started with the Google Dev Community Georgia hackathon, where we built an AI assistant for LMS platform. We created a project, placed in the top 10, but the real win was understanding how much we didn’t know yet. That experience didn’t end there, we carried it directly into the next hackathon and built better, faster, and smarter because of it. Then came the Global Innovation through Science and Technology accelerator program for the South Caucasus, where we participated as TerraGuard. There we learned how to properly run processes, think in terms of real startup logic, and approach problems with structure, validation, and long-term responsibility. After that, a small closed meeting at the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi, where me and my cofounder Otar Khunashvili were invited to discuss the current startup ecosystem and what we would like to see changed in the future. That moment meant a lot to me. Not because we had perfect answers, but because our perspective was trusted and respected in such a meaningful space. Another milestone was DataFest Tbilisi, an event full of ideas, workshops, and conversations that pushed my thinking wider and more creatively, while reminding me how much progress comes from exchanging perspectives with others. Most recently, the GITA Hackathon, where we presented RubyTrail as a Telegram mini-app. It pushed us into a new space and made us more versatile, adaptive, and open to unfamiliar approaches. We were objectively stronger than at our first hackathon. Even though we didn’t win due to unfortunate circumstances, the experience itself was deeply valuable. Looking back, I realize this year wasn’t about wins or losses. It was about learning how to move, how to build, how to communicate, and how to adapt. And most importantly, realizing how many paths open when you stop observing and start actively engaging. Grateful for every conversation, every lesson, every late night, and every unexpected opportunity. Next year, we go sharper. #Startups #Hackathons #Tech #Projects #LearningByDoing #Innovation #Building