This company does not yet exist, but it will soon. Here's the gist

Homaro has a number of goals, some of which are explored in the footnotes, but three in particular will chart the company's initial course. In order of increasing importance:

• Consumer privacy and security
• Benefit-focused market expansion
• Democratization of corporate governance

Our first step and MVP will be a privacy focused consumer apps platform. The second step will be an open-minded search for markets where social benefit can be generated, and the expansion into those markets. The foundation (step zero) is an experiment in democratic governance, one that gives shareholders and stakeholders the power to dissolve the company if they deem it necessary.

Consumer privacy and security

The first product and service by Homaro will be Datums, a web-based app store that doesn't want to know anything about you. Our initial collection of basic apps, including a to-do list, habit tracker, finance tracker, period tracker, and more, will always be free to use. In addition, we will develop in-house single-time and subscription-based apps for purchase. We will also make it easy for app developers to build on our platform and monetize their work. Data will be client-side encrypted and offline-first, with a hosting service provided by Homaro for a reasonable and transparent price.^[1]

No app on the platform will ever have access to the data it receives or creates, because it will be client-side encrypted. All apps added to the store will be audited before deployment. Homaro will never have access to any meaningful data unless, in the future, new features allow sharing meaningful data after the user has granted their informed consent.

Benefit-focused market expansion

Web-based software will always play a major role in Homaro products and services, due to its ease of access and ability to quickly build and innovate. But the point is not to create software, it is to produce benefit wherever the opportunity is found. By spreading awareness of Homaro's mission, building consumer trust, and never—ever—violating that trust, we hope to jump into new markets, each time an opportunity for the company to prove itself trustworthy, and each time a little bit easier than the last.

How will we build public trust? By treating people with respect wherever possible. This will involve privacy policies and terms of service that are simple and short, egalitarian employee compensation,^[2] informed-consent opt-in features, truth in advertising, and so on.

In which markets will we choose to expand? Initially, wherever a software solution offers low-hanging fruit, and wherever consumers are treated with disrespect. This should provide ample opportunity to grow the company. Potential avenues may include open-source voting software, tools or services for local journalism, event planning for charity organizations and other non-profit groups, services to support small farms, developing-world (or developed) micro-lending, mobile pet neutering, password and secret management, etc.

Democratization of corporate governance

Homaro will be an experiment in corporate governance. Policy and direction of a typical public company are voted on by its shareholders, with each shareholder's vote being proportional to how much stock they own (commonly known as the "one share, one vote" principle). In addition to a group having "one share, one vote", Homaro will have a second group following a "one shareholder, one vote" principle, wherein each partial owner of the company has equal voting power, regardless of how many shares they own.

A public benefit company must also take into account its stakeholders. Therefore, in addition to the two share(holder) groups, there will be two stake(holder) groups as well. The first will consist of every registered user of Homaro products or services, each having an equal vote. The second will consist of every registered user who has paid for Homaro products or services, each having a vote proportional to how much they have paid.

Policy proposals must pass in at least three of the four groups (a majority of majorities) in order to become company policy. Some major decisions may require all four groups.

As much power as possible will be vested in these four voting groups. They will elect company leadership, they will make major policy decisions, and they will have the ability to dissolve the company should it be deemed unable to accomplish its mission.

There will be checks on the power of these groups. For example, the company president will have veto power over passing policy proposals (which can be overturned by a majority of super-majorities, i.e. two-thirds of the vote in three out of four groups).

There are clear drawbacks to such a system, perhaps the biggest being a reduced ability to innovate, or to respond quickly to change. While there are ways to mitigate this issue (such as making policy proposal and voting available online with automatic deadlines), the point of Homaro is not to maximize profit, but rather place as much power in the hands of ordinary people as possible. We believe the results will speak for themselves.

In summary

Homaro starts with one product: Datums, an app platform built so that even we can't see your data. From there, it grows into whichever markets let it do the most good, and at every step it answers to the people it serves. Shareholders, users, and customers alike will have the power to change its direction, or end it altogether.

Homaro will be something different, and with that comes uncertainty. Change can be scary, and it is hard to know what to do when navigating unfamiliar waters. Our hope is that the mission will be convincing enough to carry us against the current, because we know what we're doing is the right thing to do.

FAQ

What does "homaro" mean?

"Homaro" is Esperanto for "humanity." The word "Esperanto" itself means "one who hopes."

What is a "benefit company"?

A benefit company (called a "benefit corporation" or "public benefit corporation," depending on the state) is a special kind of corporate entity. Typically a company's bottom line is to generate shareholder value: to make money. A benefit company has a "double bottom line": make money, and produce social good. More than a promise or gesture, a benefit corporation is legally required to pursue a stated public benefit, and to weigh how its decisions affect people and the environment, not just shareholders. (A "Certified B Corp" is related but different: it's a certification awarded by the nonprofit B Lab, not a type of company.) Homaro culture will instill the view that money will always be the means, and social good will always be the end.

Can the general public be trusted to make company decisions?

It is our opinion that not only can ordinary people be trusted to make company decisions, but doing so will provide a competitive advantage. Also, it is the right thing to do. That being said, there is only one way to answer this question, and we intend to answer it.

What about organized bad actors?

Because of the intentional ease to become a stakeholder, Homaro will be uniquely at risk of succumbing to sabotage by organized bad actors. For example, hypothetically, a moderate-to-large competitor could have their workforce become Homaro stakeholders and vote against the company's interests. If there is a small number of prior stakeholders, then they will be able to obtain super-majorities in half of the governing groups. Give each competitor employee money to purchase a single share, and they will also have the chance to obtain a (super-)majority in the "one shareholder, one vote" group. This will give them a majority of majorities, and their malignant policy proposals will be sent to the president. What if a bad actor is elected president? Given the right circumstances, it is possible to engineer the dissolution of the company. One must ask, however, how probable is this series of events? It would take a coordinated, sustained, and very public effort, one that would likely draw attention long before it succeeded. Homaro may simply not work, but we can't refuse to take a big risk just because it might not work out. We believe a company like Homaro is long overdue, and that the potential benefits far outweigh the potential risk. The structure of Homaro's government is still a work in progress, and there is room for safeguards, such as a waiting period before new members can vote, or identity verification. Suggestions are welcome.

How do I become a stakeholder?

A registration system is currently being developed, but in the meantime you can email stakes at homaro.co and you'll be notified of any policy proposals and voting deadlines.

How do I become a shareholder?

You can't yet: the company doesn't exist, and we aren't taking investment. Email shares at homaro.co and we'll let you know if that changes.

If I'm both a shareholder and stakeholder, in which groups will I have a vote?

Potentially all four! As a shareholder you vote in both shareholder groups, and as a registered user you vote in the first stakeholder group. If you've also paid for a Homaro product or service, you vote in the fourth group too. Your vote can count up to four times, though with different weight in each group.

Where can I reach you?

If you have questions, concerns, feedback, or interest in participating in this experiment, please reach out to info at homaro.co. We can't do this without the help of others, and we have faith in the kindness of strangers.

Footnotes

1. Operational transparency is an area we would like to explore. There are obvious questions and challenges that this would pose for a company. Would people want to work where all their emails are published online? How would we handle sensitive information? What about compensation and bonuses? How transparent is too transparent, or is that even possible? Homaro would like to tackle these questions and challenges in order to instill public trust and foster better corporate behavior. Using product and service pricing as an example, we would provide the data and decisions made which determined the final price, including justification for the profit margin. This information will be easily discoverable by stakeholders, and presented in a digestible format in plain English.
2. While the share, stake, and holder groups will ultimately decide how much everyone at Homaro gets paid, as a matter of principle the salary structure at Homaro should be as flat as possible. If the president is earning many times what a junior engineer earns, then there might be a problem; where exactly that line falls will be up to the voting groups. Again, this will pose problems for the company, in particular the hiring of quality employees. But again, we see this as a potential benefit. While we want our employees to be able to live happy and healthy lives, modest salaries may serve as a useful filter for the kind of employees we want to hire. Money is the means, and social benefit is the end. Those who have passion for the mission may be more willing to accept a salary smaller than other offers, and Homaro can provide incentive and encourage dedication with tenure-based raises and stock options. The voting groups will decide on the compensation budget, as well as the relative weights assigned to each role.