The TimeRepublik Team Discusses Its Beginnings and Goals for the Road Ahead
TimeRepublik, the world’s largest timebank, has a simple mission: to be the world’s first purposive-driven social network. Founded by high school friends Karim Varini and Gabriele Donati, the platform has over 100,000 members in 100 countries. We talked to the two founders and Lara Dittfield, from partner Mangrovia Blockchain Solutions, about their goals for TimeRepublik and how it plans to empower people globally.
Where did the idea for TimeRepublik come from?
Karim Varini, Co-Founder: Gabriele and I met in high school, where we spent a lot of time discussing philosophy and economic systems. We first had the idea in the early 2000s after watching a woman describe timebanking in an interview on TV.
We started thinking about timebanking during the Web 1.0 revolution before any social networks existed. In 2011, it felt like the right moment to take the concept seriously because of the rise of social networks. By the end of 2012, we had launched our first version.
Gabriele Donati, Co-founder and CEO: I came to New York to study music in 1995 and became a “so-called” professional musician. Since it’s rather hard to make a living only out of jazz gigs, I was always pleased to learn new skills. For example, I’ve been working as a graphic designer for the past 15 years, and this parallel profession started just by helping my fellow musician friends to design fliers for their gigs, design their CD covers, or create websites.
Small artistic communities usually create their versions of timebanking without knowing it because they all find themselves in the same situation: highly skilled, but less remunerated. When we decided to do TimeRepublik, it was a no brainer. If it worked for me in my little circle, I thought it might be scalable globally.
How do you describe TimeRepublik to people you meet?
GD: It’s a community where people exchange time instead of money. A community where an hour of my life has the same value as an hour of your life. I always say that, on TimeRepublik, we are not so concerned with measuring the value of people’s skills, but we are adamant in rewarding the creation of relationships and community.
KV: It’s a platform where people can share their skills, interests, and passions. Exchanging skills is the means for TimeRepublik, but it’s not the goal. The goal is to create real relationships between people.
Lara Dittfeld, COO, Mangrovia Blockchain Solutions: It’s the ideal place where you can get help for your project or startup. When you build a startup, it’s hard to meet all of the people who have the talents you need to help you create it.
What are the misconceptions about timebanking?
LB: Before my relationship with TimeRepublik, I heard about timebanking once or twice, but it didn’t catch my attention. I thought it was something for older people who have a lot of time on their hands. But I was wrong. I think we can attract young people to TimeRepublik and teach them that it’s a new way to exchange their services and get the help they need.
GD: That it’s old-fashioned and a form of bartering. But bartering requires you to lend me your skills only if I have something you need — TimeRepublik is uncoupling that need, so the spectrum of possibilities is much wider.
KV: Most people think of time banking as being used by retired people with a lot of free time on their hands. But time banking can be used by anyone. It’s a tool to create relationships that can last.
When we started, we created a contest where the more you helped people using TimeRepublik, the higher you go in the rankings. A web marketer won the top prize, and a student won second place. The marketer then offered the student a full-time job.
What are some of the most memorable examples of how TimeRepublik has helped someone in need?
KV: A young woman joined TimeRepublik and asked for some web development help. In 48 hours, she got 32 replies. She told us that through TimeRepublik and the responses she received, she rediscovered her faith in people. Before TimeRepublik, she couldn’t imagine that people would be so willing to help her.
GD: A TimeRepublik member had a bed and breakfast in the center of Rome. He made a few rooms available on TimeRepublik. With the time he accrued, he rebuilt his website and translated it into 12 languages. It’s a great example of how creative you can be once you deal with time.
Two years ago, the Mayor of the town of Sarre in Northern Italy contacted us because he wanted to find a way to boost civic engagement. The municipality was struggling to find resources to perform basic tasks like cleaning parks or collecting the trash. They used TimeRepublik to do exactly that. Citizens helped clean, decorate Christmas trees, or volunteered to help the elderly with their tasks. The citizens that helped, for example, used the time they earned to rent out government spaces as a workspace, to host a party, etc.
Where will TimeRepublik be in three years?
LD: It feels like society doesn’t have an alternative to the market-based economy. TimeRepublik will give people another way to interact with each other in a more meaningful way.
GD: To create more micro-economies all around the world to help people accomplish things they would not be able to accomplish otherwise. I’d love to convince more people that –beyond the mere transactions–there are many more meaningful ways to relate to each other. My dream is to transform TimeRepublik into a sort of “useful Facebook.” What social media promised was a way to connect us, and they did that, but connect is not enough. We want to build from that idea and take it to the next step: to “engage.”
KV: TimeRepublik’s goal is to be a complement, not a substitute for the market economy. You don’t need money to buy everything. My dream is that you think of TimeRepublik if you need something in the future. And for our users to receive satisfaction in helping others and in receiving help.
If TimeRepublik’s vision for a more just world appeals to you, please join our community www.timerepublik.com
