Our groundbreaking social media app, Own, has officially launched! Download it for free today and start exploring your game changing routes. Available on the App Store and Google Play Store today! Own is specifically built to increase empirical creator engagement and content value monetization to maximize effectiveness. It provides one-of-a-kind features that distinguish it from other platforms. The app allows users to interact with content by voting, utilizing an up or down arrow system reminiscent of Reddit.
One of the most unique parts of Own so far is their revenue sharing model with creators. Content creators can auction off their original work to brands looking for marketing and advertising campaigns—keeping as much as 90% of the revenue earned. This model is a very different picture than the common industry practice, where creators commonly see only pennies on the dollar. Own takes a small 10% commission on these transactions. With such a low fee, it’s easy to see why this platform is ideal for anyone hoping to maximize their content monetization.
Own has already raised over $5 million to help maintain its current platform and grow its services. Other prominent investors included Sarah Mick, Michael Terpin, Saba Capital, Base Spin Capital LLC, and Stoka Global. Sarah Mick helped develop the app, leveraging her background as a developer for larger dating apps such as Tinder and Bumble. Her world-class expertise has informed the app’s overall user-centric design and functionality.
CEO Amir Kaltak co-founded web3 company Lexit before leading Own, and has served as an ambassador for Iceland since 2011. Under his leadership, the platform has set out to make significant strides in solving these challenges, obstacles that creators still face today. Kaltak pointed to an even more critical issue. Many creators around the world don’t have access to monetization on large social media platforms simply because of where they live. With Own, we’ve developed a potent system. It’s a game changer, equalizing opportunity and authentic earning power for creators everywhere.
Katia Zaitsev, who is a co-founder of Lexit, is currently COO at Own. Together with Kaltak and Mick, they have engineered a powerful platform specifically built for creators, with comprehensive monetization features to help them thrive. Perhaps most significantly, creators will be rewarded with $OWN Tokens for high engagement on their videos that are completely tradeable. Part of Own’s cash revenue goes towards buying back $OWN Tokens from exchanges to give directly to creators.
Own has a unique token gating system that provides more control to creators. As a result, they can experience extraordinary revenue retention off of sponsorships, retaining 90% of their revenue while the platform retains just 10%. This is pretty great compared to the cut that competitors like TikTok are doing, taking a whopping 50% off of tip earnings.
Own’s goal is to multiply the creator’s share of earnings by 10x. In fact, they boast that creators can make 50% more than on other platforms. Streamlined monetization features coming in the third quarter of this year—most likely July through September—will be fairly streamlined monetization features. This decision further strengthens Own’s commitment to developing a healthy and inclusive creator economy.
Mick emphasized the app’s mission by stating, “Owning your content, consumer agency, global equal pay, equal opportunity to go viral, making meaningful connections, and empowering people through self-expression and fair pay are at the forefront of correcting the current problems with social media.”
In advance of its push in the market, almost 40,000 people have signed up for Own’s waitlist. The positive feedback shows how hungry the creator community is for a creator-first platform where their rights are respected and they have meaningful revenue opportunities.