Bonder is a location-based communication platform that is redefining online interactions. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Bonder founder and CEO Scott Swanson to learn more about the company.
Scott Swanson’s Background
What is Scott Swanson’s background? Swanson said:
“I am an expert in global infrastructure and platform development with nearly two decades of Silicon Valley experience. From launching startups to scaling some of the largest companies in the world, I have helped businesses vet, buy, and deploy the world’s most advanced technology and platform infrastructure to successfully grow their businesses.”
Formation Of Bonder
How did the idea for the company come together? Swanson shared:
“Bonder was created to bring people together online, offline, and in real-time to create meaningful human interactions, immersive retail experiences, professional networking, community building, philanthropic planning, business building, and more. We wanted to create a space where we could achieve the ultimate connectivity between humans and technology, all without surveillance, advertising, or data collection.”
Favorite Memory
What has been Swanson’s favorite memory working for the company so far? Swanson reflected:
“I am proud of finding something that was missing — something so simple yet so powerful. We cracked the code of proximity, and knowing that no one else has thought of that and getting the patents to that domestically and internationally is a big deal to us.”
Core Products
What are the company’s core products and features? Swanson explained:
“Bonder is a location-based digital communication platform that helps connect people instantly based on their shared interests and location. It’s a “NOW” platform that emphasizes human interaction and meaningful connections over digital noise, allowing people to genuinely find one another beyond regular social networking wherever they go.”
Challenges Faced
What challenges have Swanson faced in building the company? Swanson acknowledged:
“The biggest challenge our app solves is that retailers are automating themselves out of business. We must convince retailers of the value generated by a platform that creates human connections and immediate dynamic interactions.”
“We have overcome this challenge by breaking it down to retailers. We show them, “This is your world today, and this is your world on Bonder,” and it suddenly becomes clear to them that this is a world they’d rather be living in.”
“We are truly an innovation, and with any innovation, there’s always a disconnect. When the guys at Snapchat sat down and said, “We’re going to do quick posts — just little images,” people questioned them, but look at it today. Now, we can’t live without it.”
“We see a future where retailers and consumers alike won’t be able to live without the Bonder app.”
Evolution Of Bonder’s Technology
How has the company’s technology evolved since launching? Swanson noted:
“Centralizing what we host on the platform has evolved. It started with people and places, and we realized that we could take things we do every day and put them front and center, like commerce and gifting. We have a way of getting remarkable technology right at your fingertips so you can access and use it.”
Significant Milestones
What have been some of the company’s most significant milestones? Swanson cited:
“We signed a deal with AT7T to have them resell our technology and leverage our platform to elevate theirs.”
“We also have had people like the CTO of Louis Vuitton and the ex-vice president of Starbucks join our board. This validates our model and that we are poised to revolutionize the retail industry.”
Total Addressable Market
What total addressable market (TAM) size is the company pursuing? Swanson assessed:
“Bonder represents a fusion of several different concepts, so we are essentially creating a market of our own.”
“However, the consumer market for marketers wanting to connect with customers is a $343 billion industry on just the retail side. The social side is another hundreds of billions, as is the gifting side.”
“What is clear is that Bonder is fulfilling a legitimate need and vacancy in the marketplace for consumers and retailers alike.”
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates the company from its competition? Swanson affirmed:
“Bonder is not a social media platform; we are an entirely new platform — a location-based communication platform.”
“Social media platforms treat users like data points. They want engagement. They want you to go deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole of a virtual world where they can see you, watch you, touch you, and understand you. Next thing you know, Coca-Cola spends $10 million a year with them because they know when you’re going to buy your next 12-pack.”
“This is not our model. We wanted to elevate people up and out of a social media environment and bring them into a new home. There is a fire in the basement of these social media platforms. There’s social fatigue, and a lot of what people do every day isn’t distilling down into much.”
Addressing Concerns About Privacy Breaches
What are the growing concerns surrounding privacy breaches and data collection on traditional social media platforms, and how does Bonder address these issues? Swanson replied:
“Social media companies are data collection companies in disguise. Using Telegram as an example, it has moved on from its original concept to become an ad platform.”
“Bonder is not a data collection company. We are about building ecosystems of people helping people. There’s no advertising, there’s no data collection, there’s no AI. We aren’t putting data in a pool where it becomes attractive to the wrong people. Our revenue model isn’t to collect data on you and resell it. We’re generating revenue by solving proximity problems, social problems, and retail problems.”
Challenging Status Quote
In what ways does Bonder challenge the status quo of social media platforms, particularly in terms of user privacy and security? Swanson emphasized:
“Bonder is not a social media company. Social media is where the masses hang out to gather and exchange information, where advertising is the primary source of income, and where external entities like governments push agendas.”
“We are app-centric, but we are not a social media. We are a location-based communication platform that refuses to treat people like data points.”
“We geofence you, and if you choose to share your location to have a better experience when you walk into an environment — such as a retailer, a stadium, a hotel, or a casino — we will light it up. You will see everyone while you’re there, you’ll see everything that you want to see while you’re there, you’ll get discounts and offers that improve your experience, and you can join private social circles for that specific location.”
“When you leave, you are off the grid in a completely private ecosystem you build, full of people you have invited into your environment via a personal encounter. We don’t care whether you have 20 million followers and get 300,000 likes when you post something. We want you to be on this platform and see everyone you have touched.”
“This, within itself, is a heightened level of security and privacy above and beyond any social media. We’re not following you around on your device. Everything is locked down in our world; we give you the tools to empower yourself. You’re choosing to share your environment. We want to help people connect with one another more safely.”
Innovative Features Of Bonder
Could you discuss the innovative features built into Bonder, such as secure end-to-end encryption and censorship-resistant communication for retailers? Swanson elaborated:
“On social media, we see an abuse of privacy and an infringement on our personal lives. For example, there has been speculation that TikTok’s platform can monitor users’ keystrokes — that’s not secure.”
“Our encryption is end-to-end encryption. We are not monitoring keystrokes. We have no value in collecting data on what you’re talking about and to and from what people. We will never hit that threshold where we need to sell data for revenue. We have created substantial revenue that we think will exceed the revenue of social media platforms with business models based on selling data.”
“On top of that, because there’s no monitoring on our platform, there’s no censorship. These are private ecosystems — you are choosing to join that environment. Members inside these environments moderate what they feel is appropriate or not within their circle. If you don’t want to be in it, you can leave.”
“We’re not babysitters — we’re a utility. If I electrocute you, does the power company get in trouble?”
“We also don’t expect people to open up Bonder and be immediately offended by something they see. Because these are private environments you have to be invited into, the more time you spend on our platform, the more catered and focused it will be on you. It won’t be offensive because you’ll open it up and see your world — a world that you have built from the inside out, aligned with you, that has your favorite places and your favorite friends from within your favorite places that you can connect and interact with.”
Future Company Goals
What are some of the company’s future company goals? Swanson pointed out:
“By the end of this year, we are looking to partner with eight large clients and finalize our A-round, which is $15 million at a $120 million valuation, and get out into the market and solidify these proofs of concept.”
Sharping The Future Of Retail Engagement
How do you envision Bonder’s innovative features shaping the future of retail engagement and customer interactions? Swanson answered:
“The only thing current retail stores have when we leave our homes is the human touch. We’re going to a place where there are employees, where there are discounts and offers, and how we touch and connect with products is different. Amazon does not have the human experience.”
“Bonder is a platform that supports and hosts the human experience. We’re all about elevating the retail environment and bringing it to the next level. With no friction to scale, no hardware, no beacons, and no integration, we could be in thousands of stores in a month. And the next time you walk through the threshold of that store, everyone and everything is at your fingertips. We can make two people feel like 20. We give you instant chat. We give you instant offers and discounts.”
“This is about reinforcing the very singular reason people go into a brick-and-mortar store: to meet a human being and buy something from somebody who will support that item. We cannot walk away from that.”
Utilizing Location-Based Communication
How does Bonder utilize location-based communication to facilitate real-time and meaningful connections among its users and how does this approach contribute to creating a more connected and caring community? Swanson responded:
“Our platform plays a liaison role. Let’s say you’ve just landed in Monaco for the Grand Prix. You can swipe down to refresh and see all of your friends who are in Monaco with you. Or, you could be in a room with 100,000 people at a convention and say that you want to talk to the CEO of a company in the automotive industry that wants to talk about cryptocurrency. With Bonder, those 100,000 people can be filtered down to five.”
“It’s about bonding. Social media claims to connect us but creates more social isolation than ever. We have “virtual relationships” with people, not genuine connections.”
“Our goal is to reverse the isolation of technology. In five years, you can connect instantly with people, places, products, employees, discounts, offers, and more — everything will be right at your fingertips as you navigate the day.”
Evolution Of Social Media
How do you envision the future of social media evolving, and what role does Bonder play in shaping this future? Swanson concluded:
“We need to ensure we have a platform that doesn’t involve data collection, monitoring, or selling so we can speak freely, stay connected, and do it in privacy. On our platform, we’re not listening, we’re not watching, we’re not overseeing, and we’re not controlling. People need that freedom.”
“I want to look back in five or 10 years and see that we were the first company to truly innovate. Facebook, LinkedIn, Snapchat, TikTok, Clubhouse, YouTube, Instagram, Threads, Twitter/X — they’re all the same thing: post a picture or video, make a statement, sell advertising, and collect data. In the future, we’ll get to look back and see that we have given people a clean, private place to express themselves and a platform that isn’t just about interaction.”
“When you leave your home with Bonder, you will officially have technology that is better connected to the world around you. It allows you to enter the world of commerce more efficiently, get what you want when you want it, and meet who you want when you want to meet them.”
“Our vision on a large scale, from the back looking in, is to elevate how we connect and communicate. We are not just an app. We are not just a social media company that’s a variation of the current social media apps that are out there.”
