Backpack

Founder & Full-Stack Engineer · Product

School admin, done. You just say yes.

Client: Startup (my own)
Timeline: 2026
Stack: Next.js (App Router), TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, Vercel, Gmail integration, Email inbound parsing, LLM-based extraction

Overview

Backpack is school admin for K-8 families. It reads every school email, app alert, and PDF; pulls out dates, tasks, and which child each item is for; and drafts the reply, RSVP, or reminder. The parent confirms, edits, or dismisses, and nothing sends without their OK.

Families connect Gmail directly or forward school email to a private per-household address. Extracted items get types (Deadline, Event, FYI), priority labels (P1–P3), and tags by school and child. A shared household calendar and tasks layer supports Calendar, Tasks, Kanban, and List views across both parents or two homes, plus a daily briefing, Today dashboard, Inbox, Ask Backpack assistant with voice input, schedule-conflict warnings, and reminders by text or iMessage.

Built as a mobile-first web app, Backpack tackles the problem of six apps and one parent: the deadline buried on page 3 of the PDF, with you as the family's human calendar. The stack combines Next.js (App Router), TypeScript, and Tailwind on Vercel with Gmail integration, inbound email parsing, and LLM-based extraction.

What I built

Gmail connect or forward-to-private intake (family-xxxx@inbound.backpackfamily.com) for every school message and PDF
LLM extraction with parent-controlled Confirm, Edit, and Dismiss; nothing sends without approval
Typed items (Deadline / Event / FYI), P1–P3 priority, and tagging by school and child
Shared household calendar and tasks with Calendar, Tasks, Kanban, and List views
Daily briefing, Today dashboard, Inbox, Ask Backpack (voice), conflict warnings, and text/iMessage reminders
One household plan: founding $10/month locked, 14-day trial, every kid and school included

Tech

Next.js (App Router)TypeScriptTailwind CSSVercelGmail integrationEmail inbound parsingLLM-based extraction

Screens

Backpack: Landing page: 'School admin, done. You just say yes.' — Landing page: 'School admin, done. You just say yes.'

Backpack: The problem: school info is buried across ClassDojo, ParentSquare, Google Classroom, email, and group chats — The problem: school info is buried across ClassDojo, ParentSquare, Google Classroom, email, and group chats

Backpack: Backpack does the admin, not just the reminder — Backpack does the admin, not just the reminder

Backpack: Step 1: connect Gmail or forward to a private household address — Step 1: connect Gmail or forward to a private household address

Backpack: Step 2: a school email becomes a deadline task with Confirm, Edit, Dismiss — Step 2: a school email becomes a deadline task with Confirm, Edit, Dismiss

Backpack: Step 3: synced household calendar view — Step 3: synced household calendar view

Backpack: Step 3: synced household tasks view — Step 3: synced household tasks view

Backpack: Step 3: Kanban view for shared household tasks — Step 3: Kanban view for shared household tasks

Backpack: Step 3: list view for shared household tasks — Step 3: list view for shared household tasks

Backpack: One plan for the whole household — One plan for the whole household

Backpack: Daily briefing: 'Let's unpack today', with to-dos and a schedule conflict — Daily briefing: 'Let's unpack today', with to-dos and a schedule conflict

Backpack: Today dashboard with Ask Backpack, inbox, and the bottom tab bar — Today dashboard with Ask Backpack, inbox, and the bottom tab bar

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