10 questions for Philipp Rogge, founder of frents

The easiest way to explain frents is …
a social network for things. Members display personal belongings on virtual shelves and define how they are can be shared, either with a circle of friends or the local community. Resources otherwise unused and hidden behind walls are activated and brought to life creating enormous possibilities for everyone.

The idea came…
the staggering moment when I realized the inefficiency of our society. I needed a bike and was standing in a plaza with loads of bicycles, but wasn’t able to use a single one of them because I didn’t know who to ask. Everybody uses Twitter to share thoughts, Foursquare to share locations, Facebook to share party pictures… So why not share real things with friends and neighbors for real mutual benefit?

I believe it’s the right moment for frents to take off because…
people are realizing the benefits of sharing, and social networks provide the necessary trust. Frents members are inspired by collecting and presenting their things, and having access to the items of their circle of friends and their neighborhood.

Favorite frents success story so far…
was being awarded the most innovative Content Startup in Germany by eco, the German Internet Industry Association, in April 2011. It was certainly the first time I was able to rent out my projector to someone outside my “circle of frents”, and see him so happy with it!

The biggest challenge to overcome is…
unlike other services, users on frents add items to their inventory because they want to display their collection. They value their items highly and are happy to show them off on nice virtual shelves. Frents is not just as a sharing and lending platform, but rather a comprehensive network of ‘things’. The challenge is to cater to all interests and tastes to build rich content in these areas but also help members discover new products, styles and ideas.

A unique factoid that surprises people about frents is…
in recent months, every new member on frents added an average of five items to their inventory in the first session alone. Frents is also absolutely free of any costs, so users can earn money without spending any.

Frents is different to networks like Neighborgoods and Snapgoods because…
it is a social network and approaches sharing from that direction. We tap into Facebook Connections so there are massive possibilities not only to share items, but also discover what else people have in their collections. See what great films your friends have, browse through their shelves, leave a comment, rate the things you like, discover friends’ tastes and get inspiration from like-minded people. Step into a world of social discovery!

It’s 2015 and frents has achieved…
a rich network of items in your neighborhood. It will be THE place to register your things on the web, and will be a source of information and inspiration for you and your network.

Another example of Collaborative Consumption I admire is …
Airbnb, because they made sharing sexy!

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POSTED IN: CC Pioneers and Protagonists / FOR: August 10, 2011