PlatformX

Current online job/freelancing platforms, despite their 20+ years of existence, are notorious for low pay (way below minimum wage), scams and no pay, exorbitantly high and increasing fees, lack of respect for freelancers, and lack of genuine community support.

There are at least 2 to 4 million freelancers in the Philippines, while the US has at least 60 million freelancers. Freelancers are a growing demographic amidst economic uncertainties and inequalities; more so after the pandemic and the growth of the remote work industry.

To satisfy a long-standing unmet need that affects millions (59 million freelancers in the US alone, based on a 2020 report), PlatformX as an online jobs platform (built by and for freelancers) will match skilled and relevant freelancers with entrepreneurs and businesses. PlatformX will provide and promote fair pay, genuine community support, worker voice, protection, and benefits to millions of freelancers.

PlatformX already has paid users and successful job matches.

PlatformX serves online freelancers who are looking for better-paying online jobs as well as those who have experienced scammers and non-paying and low-paying clients.

As a freelancer myself who has had experience with scams, low-paying clients, and non-paying clients, I'm building PlatformX as an online jobs platform I wish I had when I started 12 years ago.

Aside from providing better-paying online jobs, PlatformX will not charge commission fees and job application fees like other job platforms. PlatformX will also provide fair dispute resolutions (many job platforms nowadays are more pro-client, regardless if the client is right or wrong).

I'm the founder and I've been a freelancer myself (since 2012) who has had experience with scams, low-paying clients, and non-paying clients. As a multi-awarded freelancer, I also mentored and volunteer-coached 5,000+ new, skilled, and struggling freelancers. Moreover, I gathered thousands of feedback through my survey of freelancers. I also voluntarily manage a dozen or so jobs/freelancing Facebook groups with 5,000 to 300,000 members each, so I have "ears and boots on the ground" so to speak for 8 years now.

My team includes two software developers (one has 11 years of experience; the other has 25 years of experience).

I have 5 volunteer advisors from the US, UK, Belgium/Thailand, and Canada. One is a PhD candidate MIT student and data scientist; another has 40 years of cooperative experience; another has 20+ years of social enterprise experience; another has 11 years of gig economy/online jobs experience. I've worked with two of them in a previous related project, while the rest have experiences that are highly relevant to PlatformX's roadmap.

Collectively, we have 130+ years of experience that will help keep PlatformX's mission intact and goals achievable.

Based on the above definitions, I chose "prototype" instead of Pilot. Although PlatformX already has a website, an initial working platform/jobfeed, 19 paid users, ~14,000 waitlist of users, and 3 successful job matches (including a repeat match).

I'm applying to Solve because I want to access your personalized support for mission-focused entrepreneurs like me.

I seek your assistance, primarily funding. I'd prefer a grant/repayable grant, then revenue-based funding investment, if possible. Aside from funding, PlatformX could also benefit from Solve's legal, marketing, and technical help so I can start the company on the right foot right from the start.

PlatformX is heavily mission-focused and entering a proven and large market; we just need funding to ensure our success and allow us to start and scale faster. Funding will enable us to start working on my audacious goal which I called "50 in 15": impact 50 million freelancers (and people around them) in 15 years!

As a context, online jobs platforms have been around for 20-25 years and have earned millions of dollars, and yet scams jobs, nonpaying jobs, and low-paying jobs still abound. In short, problems remain (and have significantly worsened!) and freelancers remain disenfranchised.

PlatformX as an online jobs platform, unlike others, will not charge commission and job application fees, saving freelancers up to $4,000 a year or more. PlatformX will have improved job recommendations, stricter scam prevention measures, and fairer dispute resolutions. We will also provide benefits and do charitable initiatives. With these, freelancers will earn more, save more, and enjoy more (less stress), and as a consequence provide superior service to clients and businesses on our platform.

My audacious goal is called "50 in 15": impact 50 million freelancers (and people around them) in 15 years! Aside from this, I will be promoting volunteering (as a passionate volunteer myself and lifelong, multi-awarded Boy Scout) so we can impact multi-millions more.

Finally, PlatformX will be the first online jobs platform that will be formed as a cooperative-social enterprise hybrid (meaning, we're genuinely mission-focused) and will not be for sale (we will state this in the incorporation documents). We'll also have the first/one of the very first government-accredited charitable foundations that are attached to an online jobs platform and created immediately (not years later or created as an afterthought/for impact washing/CSR purposes only).

With your help and with PlatformX's success, we will be a trailblazer in the online jobs industry and dramatically impact 100+ millions of freelancers worldwide.

I'm a multi-awarded, highly-observant freelancer with 12 years of experience in the online freelancing industry. I've mentored and volunteer-coached 5,000+ new and skilled freelancers and many of them got better-paying jobs; answered thousands of freelancer-related questions; and voluntarily manage many freelancing/job-related Facebook groups. I've gathered thousands of feedback from my personal survey. I've also experienced and encountered scams, non-paying clients, and low-paying clients.

In other words, I am right at the eye of the storm and I have ears and boots on the ground for 12 years. I know what works and what's needed to be done. And I have proven that further with PlatformX. PlatformX already has paid users, 14,000 waitlist users, and successful job matches.

My audacious goal is called "50 in 15": impact 50 million freelancers (and people around them) in 15 years!

I'll consider PlatformX highly successful if we'd be able to help millions of freelancers find better-paying online jobs, among other impact metrics.

Thousands of feedback I've gathered through my personal survey is another key indicator that PlatformX is on the right track and that it's a direly sought-after, must-succeed company.

As an online jobs platform, PlatformX will use AI and machine learning to speed up and improve job matching inside our platform and provide relevant, updated information to all our users.

Only me for now; my two software developers (and other potential team members) are on standby while I seek enough funding

To provide context and prove my passion for my mission in the online jobs industry (now as PlatformX):

Worked on related projects since 2014;
Since 2017/2018: Started researching looking for funding; went down the startup/funding rabbit hole;
2018 - 2021: Gathered waitlist users, feedback, and paid users and set up the relevant website pages

To me, diversity is important for a variety of ideas and experiences that can be brought to the table and ensure PlatformX's success.

One of my software developers is from Argentina and he's now living in France. The other developer is a fellow Filipino who is working in the US. Other potential team members are skilled female freelancers/employees.

To increase inclusion, I've long had a jobseeker directory where I'll pick future team members. They're comprised of new and skilled freelancers.

Impact business model: We're a cooperative-social enterprise hybrid and future B corp., which means we are a mission and impact-focused for profit.

Business model:
Membership-based/subscription model

PlatformX is an award-winning online jobs platform that matches skilled, relevant freelancers with better-paying clients/companies.

Users love and will love our platform because it charges zero commission fees and job application fees. We are freelancer-focused, genuinely open to feedback (I received thousands of feedback so far), and will provide fair dispute resolution and strict anti-scam measures.

Excluding legal/incorporation expenses (since we haven't incorporated yet), PlatformX is already profitable. We already have paid users even before I set up our official website.

To become financially sustainable, I plan to be very prudent when it comes to our expenses. I will hire slowly and carefully research our needs to minimize unnecessary expenses. A big part of our company's profits will be reinvested into the company to help it grow and succeed further and faster.