B1 - SentriBiz

Empowering small businesses with tailored, AI-driven cybersecurity solutions to foster digital resilience and growth.

Comment 13

Inspiration

The rising tide of cybersecurity threats, particularly for small businesses in underserved communities, compelled us to create SentriBiz. We recognized that many business owners struggle with limited resources and knowledge to effectively safeguard their digital assets. Overwhelmed by the complexities of cybersecurity, they often don’t know where to start. SentriBiz aims to demystify cybersecurity by delivering personalized and accessible solutions that empower small businesses to protect their digital presence confidently and effectively.

What It Does

SentriBiz is an AI-powered security advisor meticulously designed for small businesses. Our platform streamlines the cybersecurity assessment process, guiding users through critical areas such as password policies, phishing protection, and data encryption. Based on their responses, SentriBiz generates customized recommendations tailored to their specific business industries, sizes, and needs, providing practical, easy-to-implement steps. Key features include:

  • Personalized Security Assessments: A tailored questionnaire that evaluates key cybersecurity practices based on the user's business industry and size.
  • AI-Driven Recommendations: Utilizing OpenAI to analyze responses and generate actionable advice specific to retail, hospitality, healthcare, and other sectors.
  • User-Friendly Interface: An intuitive design that simplifies navigation and ensures a seamless user experience.
  • Progress Tracking: A feature that allows users to monitor their security improvements over time.
  • Mentorship Pairing: AI-driven matching with digital experts who provide guidance on implementing recommended actions.
  • Digital Skills Training Resources: Customized learning plans that offer access to free digital skills training platforms like Verizon Small Business Digital Ready, Google Digital Garage and Microsoft Learn, covering essential topics such as basic cybersecurity and data protection.
  • Downloadable Offline Content: Providing accessible resources that can be downloaded for offline use, ensuring that business owners in underserved communities can access vital information without the need for consistent internet connectivity.
  • AI Chatbot Support: An integrated chatbot that provides immediate assistance for follow-up questions and support regarding security recommendations, ensuring users have access to help whenever they need it.

How We Built It

  • Planning: We crafted a targeted questionnaire assessing vital aspects of small business cybersecurity, taking into consideration industry and size.
  • Figma Design Prototype: We developed a comprehensive Figma prototype to illustrate the user journey, emphasizing intuitive design and accessibility.
  • AI Integration: Leveraging OpenAI’s GPT API, we analyzed user responses to deliver personalized security recommendations tailored to their needs.
  • User Experience Design: The design process focused on creating an intuitive user interface that simplifies complex cybersecurity concepts for non-technical users.

Challenges We Faced

  • Time Constraints: With a two-week hackathon timeline, we prioritized essential features to ensure SentriBiz focused on core cybersecurity elements.
  • Customizing AI Outputs: Fine-tuning AI responses for actionable, practical advice required several iterations to ensure clarity for small business owners.
  • User Experience Design: Striking a balance between a clean design and the need to convey critical information posed challenges, which we addressed through iterative feedback and user testing.

Accomplishments We’re Proud Of

  1. AI Integration: Successfully conceptualizing how AI can provide personalized, actionable cybersecurity recommendations.
  2. User-Friendly Interface: Creating a Figma design prototype that simplifies the complex topic of cybersecurity for non-technical users.
  3. Functional Design Prototype: Delivering a comprehensive Figma design prototype within a tight deadline, poised to empower small businesses in enhancing their cybersecurity practices.

What We Learned

The development of SentriBiz underscored the significance of empathy in tech development, especially for non-technical users. By understanding the unique challenges small business owners face, we tailored our tool to effectively meet their needs. We also gained invaluable experience in design prototyping and the importance of user feedback in shaping an intuitive interface.

Share this project:

Updates