More Connected, Yet More Alone.
Problem
Despite an annual cost of $106 BILLION, LONELINESS remains an untouched EPIDEMIC.
ANXIETY
DEPRESSION
ADDICTION
HEART DISEASE
DIABETES
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
What if there was a way to feel more deeply connected...
To the people you care about, the causes you're passionate about, and those in need of support—imagine a worldwide web of empathy, connecting everyone, anywhere, anytime.
Well... that’s exactly what we’re building!
How it works
We call the events humns.
There's a few words in the middle of the screen. A thought, a prayer, a hope, a chant.
You can circle the words with your finger or thumb, to help focus on the words at the same time as others. Or just press the screen.
To feel connected, there's a gentle vibration that subtly changes as more people join.
There are glowing beacons on a map showing where in the world others are, thinking that thought.
There's a soothing chord, like the sound of everyone humming, that immerses you in the experience.
You can show or hide your location and anonymize your identity if it's a sensitive topic.
You can join a global humn for unity.
You can create or join a small private humn to pray for a family member, or to support someone struggling, letting them know they're not alone.
Who it’s for
For Global Unity
"I'm worried about the future of the planet, but what can I do?"
Imagine
a 15-year-old girl, desperate to do something about climate change. She makes a sign and stands in front of the post office, all alone. She wonders, "Am I making a difference? Does anyone see me?"
Statistics:
59% of youth and young adults are very or extremely worried about climate change.
45% say their feelings about climate change negatively affect their daily life and functioning.
Source: CBS News, August 26, 2023.
Imagine
instead of just following Greta Thunberg on social media, she could join her Friday #ClimateStrike from anywhere in the world, and see that there were 87,342 others, at that moment, committed to climate justice.
Instead of feeling alone, she feels empowered and hopeful.
Her solitude has blossomed into solidarity!
For Support in times of Grief
“My best friend's brother died recently, and she doesn't understand why all the flags aren't flying at half-mast, why the world doesn't stop for a minute and take notice...”
Imagine
A young woman, devastated by the loss of her best friend's brother. She feels that the world is too busy to acknowledge this deep personal loss. She wonders, Why does it feel like no one notices when something so significant happens?
"The most important thing is just to be there... And now every day, for five minutes, we go on the humn together. My friend has expressed that it's something she really looks forward to..."
Instead of feeling alone in her grief, she finds comfort in connecting with her friend through humn, a small but powerful act of solidarity. These five minutes together help her feel that, while the world may not stop, she is not facing this moment alone.
OUR ADVISORS & FOUNDING TEAM
Our Advisors
"What these guys have built is truly revolutionary.
With haptic vibration, a deep resonant chord, a few words, and glowing beacons on a map, they've engineered a feeling of connection to others."
Eric Richardson, Harvard BioDesign Lab
Expertise: Led the development of clinical thinking algorithms and auditory neurostimulation feedback systems, contributing to FDA breakthrough product designation in 2020
hūmNET Advisor - Medtech, Audio Engineering, Neuroscience
"I see hūmNET as a powerful tool to foster genuine human connection...
We live in a time when practicing empathy, taking action, and creating change are more important than ever."
Terri Givens, author of Radical Empathy: Finding a Path to Bridging Racial Divides
Political Science Professor | University of British Columbia, Vancouver.
Dr. Givens is an accomplished speaker and uses her platform to develop leaders with an understanding of the importance of diversity and inclusion, while encouraging personal growth through empathy.
hūmNET Advisor - Social Justice and Organizational Leadership
"I think hūmNET has huge potential to make a big difference in people's lives."
One of the primary drivers of health is feeling connected to others. I'm really excited about hūmNET, because I've experienced what it's like to join a hūmn. And even though I was alone, I felt like I was connected to other people.
There's a lot of research in the public health field that shows the critical importance for individuals' health of social connections -- their physical health and their mental health."
Craig Westling, Associate Dean for Health Sciences Education, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine
Expertise: Population health and education leader with a background in new program development, health policy, learning innovation, information technology, and clinical operations
hūmNET Advisor - Academia, Research, Global Health
Founding Team
Matt Walton, hūmNET COO
Matt is a seasoned executive with a successful track record of founding and leading technology companies across the healthcare, recovery, defense, and public safety industries.
Matt was inspired to join the team after mentoring Darren in the CORI-funded BRIC Actuator program in Springfield, VT.
Matt currently serves as Executive Director/CEO of CLARE|MATRIX in Santa Monica, California. With over 35 years of experience, he has led organizations within the healthcare and treatment industries, including as CEO of the High Watch Recovery Center in Kent, Connecticut.
Jennifer Lansden, Fractional CTO
Jennifer has over 20 years of technology experience at three of the largest financial institutions in the world. Jennifer is a Technology Leader with extensive experience leading technology vision, strategy, talent and initiatives for multi-billion-dollar organizations. Jennifer maintains a high-level, strategic perspective while executing tactical projects and plans. Jennifer has successfully built, trained, supported, coached and motivated many high-performance teams.
Darren Mark, hūmNET Founder & CEO
Darren is a purpose-driven entrepreneur with a proven track record of leadership, having successfully guided conscious brands to success. Passionate about the intersection of technology, empathy, and creative innovation, Darren is dedicated to revolutionizing human connection and mental well-being through hūmNET. His vision for the platform is to create shared micro-gatherings where people can come together in meaningful ways, from grief to gratitude, while fostering global impact and raising awareness for critical social issues.
Before founding hūmNET, Darren served as VP & Creative Director for Tree-Free Greetings, where he built the best-selling sustainable greeting card line in Whole Foods, as well as creating an "empathy database"—a collection of thousands of personal stories about how people wish to be acknowledged. This work inspired the creation of hūmNET, a platform designed to address the challenges of human connection.
Pre-Seed Funding Commitment
We're excited to share that hūmNET has secured a $50,000 commitment from the respected Green Mountain Accelerator Fund (GMAF) . This commitment is part of a larger $250,000 pre-seed round, and we're now seeking to raise the remaining $200,000 to enable this investment through our FundingHope campaign.
We're thrilled to support the hūmNET team in their mission to transform human connection and foster global empathy. Their innovative platform has the potential to make a significant positive impact on mental health and community outcomes, and we're excited to be part of this journey.
- Jay Bockhaus, Managing Partner, Green Mountain Accelerator Fund
This means that dollars invested through this FundingHope campaign will be effectively "matched" by the $50,000 commitment from GMAF. By participating in this pre-seed round, you'll be helping us unlock the full $250,000 in critical early-stage funding to accelerate the development and launch of hūmNET.
Join us in this exciting chapter as we work together to build a "worldwide web of empathy" and address the growing crisis of loneliness and isolation. Your investment will play a vital role in turning this vision into reality.
Current Status & Traction
Real Engagement, Real Impact
Active Community
This year alone, 450 active users have participated in 427 humns, with an impressive Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 75.
Word of Mouth Growth
82% of users say they would recommend hūmNET to others or invite others to participate in a humn.
A Culture of Altruism
Pilot with 100 students: 80 signed up for anxiety support, with 40% joining to support others, not for personal anxiety.
Early Validation & Scalability
Working prototype on the App Store and Google Play tested through pilot programs and discovery interviews.
Testimonials and Letters of Intent (LOIs) from early adopters across diverse sectors:
University Mental Health programs
Healthcare Professionals: Doctors, nurses, therapists, counselors, and first responders
Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment providers and self-help groups
Advocacy Leaders: Climate activists, global health advocates, LGBTQ groups, and political action organizations
Social Media Influencers
Unmet Potential
Requests for larger humns—like a 100-person memorial humn and a 500+ solidarity humn for first responders—highlight the opportunity for scalability with additional funding.
What will your investment fund?
If we reach our Maximum Offering of $400K
51% - Platform Development: Build the V1 product. Funding the tech team to refine the platform's features and scalability.
20% - Marketing: Raising awareness to connect with early adopters & Community Building: Pilot sites, organizations, subject experts, influencers, organizers, and advocates for social good.
29% - Operational Costs: Keeping the lights on during early-stage scaling.
NOTE: Funding allocation depends on amount raised. Details below.
How do we make money?
By Year 5: We aim to grow from $200K to $45M in annual revenue through these streams and partnerships.
80% of users access hūmNET for free, creating a wide-reaching, inclusive community and driving network effects.
Projected 12% of users spend an average of $11.99 annually on premium features, such as customization tools and exclusive events.
$19.99/year for individuals seeking advanced features.
$49.99/year for small organizations or content creators.
$499/year for large organizations needing extensive support.
Target Markets & Partnerships
We focus on high-impact markets, including:
University mental health, reaching the 22M US college students.
Caring professionals like first responders and healthcare workers.
The 53M US caregivers and 46M individuals with substance use disorders.
Strategic partnerships with healthcare systems, recovery centers, nonprofits, and influencers will maximize adoption and engagement.
By Year 5: We aim to grow from $200K to $45M in annual revenue through these streams and partnerships.*
The revenue projections presented are forward-looking statements based on our current assumptions and market analysis. Actual results may vary due to a range of factors, including market conditions, user adoption, and operational challenges. These statements are not guarantees of future performance.
hūmNET Timeline
You can pronounce it
hum-net, human-net, or even hum-N-E-T (humanity)
We pronounce it HUM-NET.
But we like to think of it as a human network that connects all of humanity with the best in each of us (our humanity).
Our dream is that hūmNET bridges these two meanings of humanity, fostering genuine connections and shared moments of mindfulness across the globe.
Disclaimer: This website is not an offer to sell securities. Any offer to invest in hūmNET is made exclusively through FundingHope, an SEC-registered and FINRA-member crowdfunding portal. Investment opportunities posted on FundingHope involve risk, including loss of capital, and are intended for investors who are familiar with and willing to accept these risks. No offering is being made on this website. Any investment activity is conducted solely through the FundingHope platform after registration and review of the offering materials.
By providing your contact information, you consent to receive updates and communications from hūmNET. This is not a solicitation to invest, and providing your contact information does not obligate you to make an investment.
