mission
We live in a noisy world.
Let's fix it.
Arjun Patel, founder
The internet is more congested than ever. Email used to be magical, now it's flooded with spam. Less than 1% of emails are from another human; half of these are ChatGPT drafts.
We built technology (phones, computers) for humans, but now you're 10 layers deep from a conversation.
Emojis, threads, missed calls, message tennis, endless notifications - it's not human.
Social media is trapping our children.
People are lonely. Relationships are becoming superficial.
In 10 years, people will crave purity. Flowy will be the pure place for humans to connect.
Perspective
A new interaction
1957
Around 75% of U.S. households have a landline phone.
1971
Email is used for the first time on ARPANET.
1980s
Voicemail is created as Americans become busier.
1990s
The advent of web browsers leads to a surge in email usage.
1997
Nextel (direct connect) nation-wide walkie-talkie phones are released.
2000s
Unlimited SMS plans and the wider adoption of smartphones.
2008
The App Store and websockets leads to chat interfaces everywhere which adopt the IRC model.
2011
WebRTC by Google enables real-time video conferencing.
2011
Snapchat introduces a new model: lightweight and ephemeral.
xxxx
Flowy models real-life conversations.
Values
What we believe
1. Don't forget what actually matters.
Survival of the human species, evolution, human connection, primal instincts, food, health, wellbeing...we are not here to build some fluke 'Saas' business, AI tool, or addicting technologies for the sake of metrics. It's easy to lose sight of what matters in this distracting world.
2. Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.
Inspired by the Marines. The modern world urges us to play silly games and chase short-term reward. There is no urge to take shortcuts as long as you focus on #1. We like to go for the cold, long, hard path.
3. Excellence only. High standards.
Anyone who joins must be better at their craft than every existing member at their respective craft. We can likely bend the world with <100 people.
4. Less is more.
The secret in the current world: people are dying for less. We win by doing less. You only get less by obsessively breaking down the complex into something simple.
5. Show, not tell.
Inspired by Steve Jobs. Fancy presentations don't matter. Magical experiences are not words.
6. Blood, sweat, and tears.
Humans can sense obsession, love, courage. They can sense if flowy truly resembles purity.
7. Don't forget #1.
That's to say, don't forget to don't forget what actually matters. The main thing is the main thing.
identity
Who we are
Company
Chipotle Mexican GrillInspiration
I eat Chipotle almost every day (yes, really). Why? Because we believe what Chipotle believes. Less ingredients, higher quality ones.
Company
Light PhoneInspiration
They put it beautifully: "Going light is a decision you make when you’re finally ready to say enough is enough. You’re ready to take back control."
Thought leader
Cal NewportInspiration
His ideas on digital minimalism and deep work are the foundation of our thesis.
Thought leader
Rick RubinInspiration
One of the greatest music producers of our generation who inspires craft, simplicity, and creativity.
Thought leader
Anthony HobdayInspiration
A designer with elevated thoughts on simplicity and quality which has influenced our way of thinking.
Technologies
HTMXInspiration
Less is more. We choose raw technology as it surfaces purer, human experiences. This site is built with HTMX. This is also why we use barebones Linux + Qt instead of Android for our core systems. For comedic relief, check this out.
identity
Who we are NOT
Company
SuperhumanHow we're different
While we are inspired by their commitment to speed, we believe they are asking the wrong question. The question is not "how can we make email faster?" but "how can we make email more human?"
Company
SuperpowerHow we're different
While their mission resonates, we believe this playbook of building flashy product will cloud their ability to make true impact.
Company
Rabbit R1How we're different
We admire their contribution to the world, but we are not here to build a fun gadget.
Company
HumaneHow we're different
We also believe in transient technology, but we will choose more human-to-human interaction over novel technology and AI assistants.