Hailing from the same campus as the social media giant Facebook did over a decade ago, the upstart HelloFriend has come onto the scene looking to hit the reset button on how social media should function within our society. Harnessing the power of the blockchain, the HelloFriend team has created a platform where users are encouraged to spend time together (yes, in person!), engaging in their favorite activities. As a result, the event organizer is credited with HelloFriend’s native token (the Connect) from all users that attended the event to pay for their share of expenses. Attendees of events are able to earn their own Connect tokens by inviting new friends onto the platform as well as frequently attending events created on the platform.
Citing how modern social media platforms allow for fewer meaningful connections, it was an objective of the HelloFriend team to encourage more in-person interactions while also cutting down on targeted advertisements. With apps, addicting games and advertisements diluting our social media experiences, the HelloFriend team saw an opportunity to make a change. It’s time to make social media “social” again!
The primarily Harvard based HelloFriend team is a member of Harvard Innovation Lab’s Venture Incubation Program, a 12-week program that combines both mentoring and innovation to help expedite the startup process for selected participants. Additionally, HelloFriend boasts an impressive list of advisors with individuals from the entrepreneurship, business development, investment and blockchain fields.
While still early in its’ development, HelloFriend is an interesting platform to keep an eye on combining two major topics of interest in our society (social media & cryptocurrency/blockchain technology). For additional information on the project and to participate in their “Proof of Friendship” to earn your own Connect tokens, feel free to check out HelloFriend on their website at joinhellofriend.com
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