Where we are now

The last 16 months have been incredible. The Communities platform has gone from just an idea to rough prototype, to today where we proudly announce the Alpha release.

So far we've managed to:

• Reimagine and build the foundations of a social network so that it is local and community-first
• Add personal messages and notifications
• Create dynamic roles and permissions
• Support 6 types of resources (posts, discussions, places, events, choices, and actors) to help manage community activities
• Make it easier to promote your community both online and offline
• Build a Help Center
• Start a company
• Become GDPR compliant

Believe me, that's a lot to juggle for a single person on weekends and spare afternoons. But hard work aside, it's been a pleasure to see everything take shape. And it seems like everything is moving faster than I anticipated!

But it hasn't just been just about building software. I’ve been lucky to connect with so many interesting people who share a passion for nurturing real-world relationships and growing communities. Listening to their stories and struggles has been a priceless learning experience. There is still so much we can do to help local communities thrive!

It’s been motivating to see all the positive energy around community building here in Prague. I am deeply thankful for everyone who has supported me and the project with their time and guidance. A special thanks to Fernando, Jessica, Jasper, and Val from Mini Kino, who have met with me regularly to shape the product and provide valuable feedback.

We are far from done, however. In many ways, it feels like we haven't even started. We've been laser-focused on building the platform and not so much on it's adoption. That needs to change if we want to make our goal of revitalize local areas a reality. In 2026, we will shift gears: our focus will turn to adoption and growth. We have already partnered with a few local organizations in Prague, and we’ll do our best to help them solve the key issues they face while also finding more groups who would like to join our platform.

We aren't stopping. If anything, the last year has shown that not only there is an interest for a platform like this, but also that it might be crucial for a healthy and resilient society.

What's ahead

We still have plenty of features to build (see our roadmap), but we've learned that having the right tools is only part of the equation. Far more important is creating trust. As we scale, we must ensure the platform remains secure, reliable, and welcoming. We also need to communicate clearly and operate with total transparency.

Realistically, I can't achieve all of this alone while working part-time. This has led me to seriously consider raising money to build a small team to get this project off the ground. This isn't a light decision, and it will be vital to select investors who share our vision. If we succeed, we'd aim to build the following team:

• Head of Development & Execution (me) - Building the product, setting the vision, and growing the platform
• Head of Content - Managing website content, branding, and marketing
• Head of Product & Design - Shaping the product, visual branding, and user experience
• Head of Operations - Leading social projects and supporting in-person communities

By taking this route, we are committing to operating as a business, which means creating sustainable revenue. Since the inception of this project the aim was to create a self-sustainable platform with an ethical, pro-social business model. Getting help from investors will allow us to get there faster and more reliably. We see three possible income sources that align with our values:

Users

Our primary goal is to solve real-world problems for communities and individuals, so we would be thrilled to have you as customers. While basic usage will always remain free, we plan to offer subscription plans for advanced features.

The goal isn't to gatekeep vital parts of the platform, but to offer extras that enhance the aesthetics, save time, or help you grow a larger community. In fact, we are close to releasing a community subscription plan that gives early access to some beta features. We'd love for you to try it and give us your feedback.

While we want this to be our main income source, it takes time to grow. That is why we are considering two other sources.

Government

Partnering with governments to support local regions is a proven model in Europe. Companies like Mijnbuurtje (Netherlands), Nebenan (Germany), and Hoplr (Belgium) have used government contracts to achieve their pro-social goals.

We believe this can be a key part of our mission, bringing the state and citizens closer together can help us solve some of the largest social problems.

Local Businesses

Finally, we are considering working with local businesses to help them promote themselves. This aligns with our goal of improving local regions and brings value to users by making it easier to find and support local shops and services.

Summing it all up

Publishing this Alpha release is a huge milestone, but we’re really just getting started.

As we move forward, we’ll strive to solve real problems and operate with transparency. Our goal is to revitalize local regions through people, and to do that, we need to build tools that help them communicate, organize, and grow their impact. But we also need to engage with people to bring them along on our journey, this will ensure that we are building the right solutions while also having real impact.

Finally, we must not forget to enjoy the process! And so, I am glad to announce that we'll be hosting an Alpha Release Party here in Prague sometime in February. Stay tuned for details!