How Looma Began.
From a simple idea to a movement, the story of why Looma exists, who built it, and what we hope it becomes.
A Simple Belief.
Looma was born from a simple belief: a Social Utility should bring people together, not pull them apart, flood them with ads, or profit at the cost of community.
Like many people, the founder watched as the platforms the world once loved became overrun by engagement algorithms, misinformation, and monetization strategies that rewarded outrage over authenticity. The deeper the look, the clearer the realization: the system wasn't broken. It was built that way. To extract value from users, not return it.
That's when a decision was made. If the skills existed to build something meaningful, why not create a space that puts people first? Not for fame. Not for fortune. Just because it could be done, and because too many people, especially kids, deserved better than what they were getting.
From an Idea to a Platform.
Every choice along the way was made with one question in mind: Is this good for the people who'll use it?
The Realization
Social media was supposed to be a tool for human connection. Somewhere along the way, it became something else, a machine for extracting attention, harvesting data, and amplifying outrage. The platforms got more sophisticated. The harm got worse. Children were the most vulnerable, but everyone paid the price.
The realization wasn't unique. What was unique was the response: instead of complaining, instead of waiting for big tech to fix itself, instead of hoping regulators would step in, actually build the alternative.
The Design Principles
From day one, Looma was designed around principles, not metrics. No engagement algorithms. No follower counts. No likes. Chronological feeds. Mandatory breaks and daily time limits. Communities first, virality never.
And, most importantly, safety for children built into the architecture itself. Not as an afterthought. Not as a setting buried in a menu. As the foundation. Five developmental safety tiers calibrated to age. Server-side enforcement that can't be bypassed. Real-time moderation for bullying, harassment, hate speech, and CSAM. A platform a parent could actually trust.
The Funding Model
If Looma was going to be different, the money had to be different too. So the model was inverted: 50% of profits flow back to users. 25% goes to charities and community organizations through Looma Gives. 25% covers operations. The founder takes no salary until the platform is sustainable.
It's not a marketing claim. It's a structural decision, one that makes it nearly impossible to sell out, because there's nothing for an acquirer to extract. The value is meant to flow to the people who create it.
The Bigger Vision
Looma isn't just a platform. Through Looma Gives, it funds a patent-pending NFC bracelet system that lets community members donate directly to people experiencing homelessness, with 100% of donations reaching recipients and 100% of merchant revenue staying with merchants. No middlemen. No fees. No restricted access.
The social app funds the giving system. The giving system proves the platform's purpose. Together, they form an ecosystem where every interaction supports something real, protecting kids, helping the homeless, funding schools, supporting charities.
The Road Ahead
Looma launches small. A handful of communities. A growing user base. A founder funding it from his own salary. But the vision is much bigger: a global network of trusted communities, transparent quarterly giving reports, the NFC system scaled to cities everywhere, and a platform that becomes the standard regulators and researchers point to when they ask what a responsible Social Utility should look like.
This is still chapter five. There's a lot of book left to write.
In My Own Words.
Why I Built This.
I didn't build Looma to get rich. I built it because I didn't need more, and I knew this kind of platform could give more.
This isn't a tech startup chasing a buyout. It's a mission to restore integrity, purpose, and generosity to the way we connect online, and to give kids a place to grow up online that doesn't treat them as a product.
I work an afternoon job as a custodian. Looma is funded from my salary, built on days and weekends, and structured so that even if it grows, I never become the person extracting value from it. The users will. The communities will. The charities will.
If Looma can help one family feel safer, one community feel stronger, or one person in need feel supported, then it's doing exactly what it was meant to do. Thank you for being part of the story.
Marc Lachance
Founder, Looma
The Next Chapter is Yours.
Looma needs people who believe a better way is possible. Families. Schools. Churches. Sports leagues. Real communities looking for a platform that doesn't ask them to trade their values for connection.
