Swiss founder builds a 'Linkedin for impact' – "There's a huge interest"

A new European social media platform is on its way. But on the Inspired app you won’t find cat memes or chirpy productivity tips. Instead, the platform is designed as a bridge between innovators and their stakeholders – investors, enthusiasts, and potential customers.

The initiative, founded by Maximilian Werner, a Zurich-based tech entrepreneur, is set to launch in February. But the platform is already creating a buzz, with a growing waiting list.

Werner tells Impact Loop that his goal is to showcase the “many global challenges that demand genuinely innovative solutions”, and help highlight companies that address "deep-rooted problems" in society, rather than just “treating the symptoms”.

He believes one of the current core barriers facing innovators is reaching a global audience with their ideas.

"We lose out on many valuable solutions because they lack visibility. Without that, they can’t connect with the right people. Visibility is the big bottleneck today."

The Inspired platform, he explains, would help foster that connection. Werner compares Inspired to physical conferences and trade shows, which have a similar role in showcasing the latest innovations from across different markets.

"I see Inspired as a physical event in digital form. We want to build a global network of innovators, investors, and people who are simply curious – without physical constraints."

From 10,000 to 100,000 users

Inspired will be run by a self-funded parent company, Avastra, with a core team of six in Switzerland and six freelancers around the world. So far, marketing efforts have focused on Europe, but companies from the US and Singapore are also already on the waiting list.

Werner, who was an Equity Research Analyst intern just three years ago, clearly has ambitious goals for the network.

He says the site’s initial aim is to engage around 10,000 users including 2000 innovators, describing this as the "critical mass" needed to make the app engaging.

The other core goal is to highlight impact innovations from a wide range of sectors and countries. “Even a very niche idea should be able to find the right support and collaborators on the platform," says Werner.

By the end of 2025, the founder hopes to have attracted 100,000 users to Inspired. “That’s when it’ll get really gets interesting,” he tells Impact Loop.

Verification Required

As anyone familiar with open platforms knows, letting thousands of users loose online can quickly lead to chaos. But Werner says Inspired plans to tackle this challenge by playing a bigger role in curating both content and users than many other social media platforms.

"Keeping the platform structured is very important to us – whether that’s through filters, algorithms, or editors. All users must verify themselves as individuals or companies."

For the innovators expected to provide the “inspiring content”, additional criteria apply.

"It must always focus on impact and working towards the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals in some way. Ensuring everyone is on the platform for the right purpose also builds credibility."

The same goes for future advertisers, Werner emphasises.

"Inspired will be free for users, but we’ll only sell ad space to companies that share our vision of innovation and impact. We’ve seen significant interest so far."