diff --git a/start_project.py b/start_project.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f63e5e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/start_project.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+"""A setup script that starts the Django backend and React frontend in separate processes."""
+
+import os
+import subprocess
+import sys
+import logging
+
+# Set up logging
+logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO, format='%(asctime)s - %(name)s - %(levelname)s - %(message)s')
+logger = logging.getLogger("start_project.py")
+
+
+def start_django() -> None:
+    logger.info("Starting Django backend...")
+    try:
+        os.chdir('backend')
+        subprocess.Popen([sys.executable, 'manage.py', 'runserver'])
+    except FileNotFoundError:
+        logger.error("Script manage.py not found. Are you sure you are in the root directory?")
+        sys.exit(1)
+    
+
+def start_react() -> None:
+    logger.info("Starting React frontend...")
+    try:
+        os.chdir('frontend')
+        subprocess.Popen('npm install', shell=True)
+        subprocess.Popen('npm run dev', shell=True)
+
+    except FileNotFoundError:
+        logger.error("Manifest package.json not found. Are you sure you are in the root directory?")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    start_django()
+    start_react()