Ethos is a new social network built for Gen Z who want a trusted and secure place to discover and connect with the social issues and causes that matter to them. Our mission is to enable widespread participation in social and environmental action, and we encourage our users to learn about and engage with a variety of social issues.
We built Ethos with discovery as the core purpose. We did this because there is no dedicated space where young people can create and discover conversations about social change.
We launched in February 2020 and to date have completed two SEIS/EIS funding rounds.
How did you come up with the idea for Ethos?
I founded Ethos to provide a safe place for Gen Z to make connections with people that share an interest in similar social matters. Part of the Generation myself, I was aware how difficult it is to discover factual information about social matters and find like-minded passionate individuals and relevant cause.
Whilst there is a plethora of social networks, none were built to facilitate progress around shared causes and encourage widespread participation in social and environmental solutions. I wanted to create a trusted place with direct access to fact checks where Gen Z can represent and engage with the causes that matter to them.
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How has the company evolved during the pandemic?
Whilst we set up Ethos in February 2020 prior to the pandemic hitting the UK, we released the beta version of the platform in October 2020. Over the last year, Gen Z has become even more passionate about social change with 72% of Gen Z stating they have become more interested in activism and social causes since the pandemic began. Covid has been a generation-defining crisis for Gen Z and has accelerated people’s passion and commitment to social change.
We are in a great place to provide them with a trusted place to participate in discussions and make connections with people with similar social passions.
What can we hope to see from Ethos in the future?
We have ambitious growth plans. We’re forecasting 30 million monthly active users by 2025 who are focused on building their online identity around ethical matters and connecting them to purpose-driven brands. It’s well known that Gen Z are more inclined to purchase from socially ethical and sustainable companies. We’re on a mission to seek out socially ethical brands and initiatives and connect those with Gen Z.
In our beta release of the app, a range of purpose-led brands were shared and received positive feedback and engagement from our users: Ecosia (the search engine that plants trees), sustainable brand locater app Good On You and the Keep London transport free for Under-18s campaign, were just a few.
