The story behind HanapKape, a Filipino-built app helping users find coffee shops near them in real-time

A cup of coffee, a late-night idea, and a solution to a struggle no one thought was a problem— and sometimes, that is all it takes for something to begin like what Mark Aldrin Lastica did which brewed HanapKape, a web-based platform that helps Filipinos find, compare, and navigate nearby coffee shops with ease.

Built out of love for coffee 

Like for many Filipinos, coffee became a staple in Mark’s everyday routine. 

“Iba kasi talaga yung feeling kapag nagkakape habang may ginagawa ka,” he shared, expounding on how coffee became his fuel during shifts when he was still working in the BPO and now that he is navigating the tech industry, it is his constant companion.

And somewhere between those quiet sips and long hours of work, the idea began to form not all at once, but from a series of random moments: scrolling through an online tech group, reading about developers earning through AI-built apps, working on small side projects, and even an unexpected subscription charge that nudged him to finally build something.

At first, as his personal projects, he built small personal tools like expense trackers and a match history system until it led him to a simple coffee prices list app called KapeCheck. But like coffee that has not yet reached its full flavor, this was only the first brew: still raw, still searching, and far from the richness it was about to become.

From KapeCheck to HanapKape

As Mark was building the app in the span of four to five days, limitations appeared since data was hard to gather, especially for local coffee shops. That gap changed the direction of the project entirely.

“Ang naisip ko noon is mga known brands lang talaga until naisip ko na paano naman yung mga local brands? And small businesses ng coffee shops dito sa bansa?” he uttered, and this question turned the project from a list into something more purposeful, which is HanapKape, an app designed not just to show coffee, but to help people actually find it. 

Now reaching the right blend, the platform began to take shape with features that answered real needs: Open Now, Navigate, and Nearby, allowing users to check real-time shop availability, explore coffee options, and locate the nearest café with ease.

More people sharing the cup

When it was finally posted online, expectations were low, but the response was not.

“Nagulat ako na may mga natuwa sa app ko. Pinatest ko rin muna sa mga friends ko kung okay ba ‘yong app and natutuwa naman sila,” Mark shared. 

Currently, as he created a post on his Facebook account, it garnered over 27,000 reactions and more than 12,000 shares. But as more users came in, the system began to feel the strain in the growing traffic that pushed the app beyond what it was originally built to handle.

According to Mark, plans to upgrade were already in place, but even that came with setbacks. The payment system for the upgrade did not go through, delaying improvements that were already needed. Without enough funds to scale the platform, the app often had to be placed on maintenance mode just to keep it running.

Still, like coffee passed from one hand to another, HanapKape keeps on reaching more people, continuing to gain users, gather feedback, and grow in ways Mark did not fully expect. 

Still brewing what comes next  

But like any good cup, the process does not end at the first few sips.

“Sa new updates naman to add, may mga coffee shop owners and users na nagtatanong sakin, paano nila iaadd yung mga coffee shop nila?” he told us along with his vision of creating a system where users and café owners can contribute directly and simply by submitting a Google Maps link through a form, which will then be reviewed and approved.

Looking ahead, he hopes to expand HanapKape even further: from convenience store coffee and coffee beans to barista spots, study cafés, Wi-Fi availability, and even places with good ambiance and views.

For now, resources may be limited, but the vision continues to brew from that random spark, a simple coffee habit, and a bit of uncertainty. Something small became something made for everyone— one cup and one click, at a time. Because sometimes, the best ideas are not carefully brewed from certainty, but poured from curiosity, and left open for others to take part in.