Zwap

Zwap emerged from the global shift to remote work during the pandemic, officially launching in 2021. Founded by Federico, Luigi, and Luca, the venture was born from a desire to create a space for professionals to forge meaningful connections virtually. The company operated as a network-building platform specifically targeting workers and distributed teams, aiming to cultivate company culture and professional relationships in a remote setting.

The platform's core service centered on facilitating weekly 1:1 video meetings. Users would create a profile detailing their work experience alongside professional and personal objectives. Based on this information, Zwap's algorithm would match them with like-minded professionals for 30-minute virtual calls, handling the scheduling automatically. The target market included freelancers, remote workers, digital creators, and marketing enthusiasts who were seeking to expand their professional circles from anywhere in the world. The initial business model involved a subscription fee, envisioned at around €10 per month.

Throughout its operation, Zwap demonstrated considerable impact, enabling thousands of meetings weekly which led to new business opportunities and professional relationships. By September 2022, the platform had facilitated over €600,000 in opportunities for freelancers, connecting them with potential corporate clients. Despite achieving a degree of product-market fit, the company encountered significant hurdles related to the scalability of its supply-and-demand-based model and very low switching costs for its user base. In late 2023, after a two-year journey, the founders made the decision to cease operations.

Keywords: professional networking, remote work, distributed teams, virtual networking, 1:1 meetings, freelancers, digital creators, professional connections, career development, online community, peer matching, B2C, SaaS, startup networking, culture building, team cohesion, business opportunities, lead generation, professional growth