Building in Public #01: Why I Joined VOI and What We've Done So Far?

When João, the creator of the VOI methodology, reached out to me, it wasn’t just the idea of creating a social impact startup that caught my attention—it was how VOI bridges the gap between businesses and communities in fragile settings, and the fact that VOI could be highly scalable while being sustainable, something I’ve been working on for the last 10 years while being involved in other impact organizations.

Another strong reason to join VOI was the team. Knowing there is an amazing team dedicated and aligned with the same long-term vision was key for me to join.

So, let me take you behind the curtain and share why I joined, what we’re building, and how we’re doing it.

A Little About Me

As some of my network knows, I’m motivated by complex and difficult challenges, and solving a complex problem in a very complex system is something that always motivates me.

I’ve always considered myself a generalist—I love to do a little bit of everything. In VOI, I saw the perfect opportunity to launch a tech product, something I’ve only worked on a bit before and never as the main product.

My background as an entrepreneur and a consultant gave me huge experience with hands-on execution, especially launching NGOs without any budget. I love creating things from the ground up—more than managing them, I love to bring them to life.

So, when the opportunity came to become the COO of VOI and a shareholder and board member, it felt like a perfect fit. My role is all about making sure we have the tools, processes, and operations to bring our vision to life.

What is VOI?

At its core, VOI is about social cohesion, improving lives, and minimizing the impact of violence in fragile communities. It’s a structured, evidence-based methodology that helps businesses engage with local communities in a way that fosters long-term peace and cooperation.

Originally developed at the University of Cambridge during João’s PhD, the VOI methodology ensures that communities are at the center of decision-making. Businesses—either through their own teams or hired consultants—implement VoI projects alongside communities, allowing them to define their own priorities and co-create solutions that benefit everyone involved.

If you’d like to dive deeper into how VOI works, check out my last blog post: How VOI Projects Turn Corporates into True Givers.

What We’ve Been Working On

At VOI, our current focus is around 3 main areas:

Building the Product

I've been leading the development of our SaaS platform, handling both the frontend and backend. This tool simplifies the implementation of VOI projects, guiding businesses step by step in their engagement with communities. It integrates project management, task automation, and real-time analytics, ensuring each VOI project is impactful and scalable. We already have a demo version ready, which we're using to showcase the platform to potential clients and to explain how the methodology and a VOI project works.

Creating the Knowledge Center

One of the core components of the VOI platform is the Knowledge Center. This is the heart of our venture. Here, we’re transforming years of research, frameworks, and written information into a practical, accessible guide and course. It’s designed to help anyone with a VOI license implement a VOI project and generate impact anywhere in the world. From templates for sessions with local communities to tips and video tutorials, we are producing a range of top-notch, tested materials to ensure success at every step.

Go to Market

We are already actively pursuing potential clients and leads. Our team has been reaching out to potential users, and we now have dozens of promising leads in our pipeline. This process is being led by Gustavo, who is doing an incredible job connecting with people, gathering feedback, and building relationships that will drive VOI’s growth. His efforts are ensuring that we’re not just building a platform but creating meaningful opportunities to showcase its value.

Looking Ahead

VOI has already been successfully implemented in Guinea-Bissau with UNDP and in Burkina Faso with Search for Common ground, improving lives and strengthening social cohesion. These initial projects, built on years of research from João’s PhD at the University of Cambridge, have demonstrated the power of the methodology in helping communities find common ground and create lasting change.

This year, we are focused on scaling these successes through our SaaS platform, making it easier for businesses to implement VOI projects worldwide. We are actively working to ensure that in the coming months, we’ll have more of these impactful projects creating real change on the ground.

In the next Building in Public blog post, I’ll be sharing more quantitative insights—updates on our platform development, its key features, and progress on our business development efforts. We’ll continue sharing both the wins and the challenges as we build VOI step by step.