Rekro
PRODUCT DESIGN | DESKTOP
Empowering international students to find belonging through meaningful digital connections.
Note: This is a high-level summary of my work due to an NDA.
You can access the full password-protected case study below:
2025
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Bringing students together to foster a community.
Rekro is a startup dedicated to helping international students transition smoothly into university life in Australia, ensuring they feel supported, connected, and confident. Their vision is to have a Rekro community in every city of the world to welcome new international students by 2030.
MY CONTRIBUTIONS
Leading end-to-end MVP design from 0→1, Version 1 shipped.
Conducting user testing after launch.
Leading redesign for Version 2.
Leading collaboration workshops with engineers.
Assisted Co-CEOs with business strategy and vision.
ROLE
Lead Product Designer
TEAM
1 Product Designer
2 Engineers
1 Project Manager
TIMELINE
6 months
Problem
International students often struggle to adjust to university life in a new country, making it difficult to build meaningful peer connections which can result in loneliness and poor mental health outcomes.
Business Goal
Support international students in forming genuine connections and supportive communities that improve their overall wellbeing and university experience.
Solution
Design a web-based platform that connects students through shared interests and experiences, helping to alleviate loneliness and foster belonging, confidence, and smoother transitions into campus life.
TL;DR 😝
My impact, in a nutshell.
🚀
Successfully launched Rekro’s first product.
A major milestone for Rekro, establishing the company’s initial presence in the market, giving us real user data to drive future strategy.
🙌
Acquired the company’s first 50 active users within days of launch.
Validating the product’s core value proposition and providing essential user feedback that informed the next iteration of the product.
🏆
Selected for the UNSW Founders Pre-Accelerator Program.
Key opportunity connecting Rekro with world-class resources and network of innovators, sparking investor interest that will help scale the business.
SOLUTION - VERSION 1 LAUNCH 🎉
Creating meaningful connections, one chat at a time.
The successful launch of Version 1 attracted Rekro’s first 50 users and earned the startup a place in the UNSW Founders Pre-Accelerator Program. This opportunity connected the team with world-class resources and sparked early investor interest to help scale the business.
01.
Peer Matching
Peer suggestions based on shared interests and matching qualities.
02.
Connecting
Instead of empty friend requests, receiving/sending a message prompts a connection request, encouraging more genuine and meaningful student interactions.
03.
Events Space
Enables users to attend university and social events as part of the Rekro community. This helps students connect and engage, ensuring they are not facing social gatherings alone and creates opportunities to build meaningful relationships offline.
RETROSPECTIVE 💡
My first real-world 0→1 project was a challenge and a greatly rewarding experience.
⚖️ Balancing business goals and design.
Learning to design with business objectives in mind was both the most challenging and rewarding aspect of this experience. It taught me design can not only align with but also actively drive a company’s growth and vision.
❗ Importance of foundational research.
Inadequate early research led to costly rework, displaying how vital it is to challenge assumptions from the start before jumping into design. I learned that thorough foundational research lays the groundwork for a scalable and future-proof product.
💪 Resilience in a startup environment.
As my first startup experience, it challenged me to adapt quickly, stay resourceful under pressure, and navigate uncertainty. In order to reach our project goals, I had to be proactive and take initiative in collaboration efforts and as the sole lead designer.
Want to understand my process deeper?
Access the full password-protected case study below 👇.