Eve
Co-founder and changemaker: Eve helps people capture stories that matter so they can make courageous impact.
"I want to help people-people in a world increasingly dominated by AI for productivity"
Together we make sense
We exist for the future that's possible when we truly hear each other.
Pleased to meet you!
We're building dembrane: the deliberation platform that makes it easier to make sense of big, messy conversations, so everyone can shape what happens next.
When 100 or 1000 people gather, we make it possible for them to actually connect, find common ground, and make decisions.
Meet the party!
Jorim
Founder and builder: Jorim experiments to explore how communities work and what they need to flourish.
"Really listening - to others, and to my own self - is my chosen purpose."
Sameer
Co-founder and chief engineer: Sameer builds the platform that brings people and ideas together. Safe and sound.
"Before dembrane, I felt a bit lost. dembrane's mission gives my work meaning."
Pauline
Social design lead: Fueled by specialty coffee and a passion for people, Pauline facilitates community growth.
"To enable participation processes to actually improve and deliver the worth that collective intelligence has to offer with an amazing team"
Usama
Full stack engineer: Usama brings clean code and good energy! He crunches user stories and foosball games.
"I find purpose in shaping democratic technology, alongside a team I LOVE in a culture of respect, empathy, and genuine appreciation."
Robert
QARA & DPO: Responsible for quality assurance, regulations and data protection, Robert ensures dembrane is even better than compliant.
"I'm an idealist. I want to see change in society and dembrane is a way to achieve that."
Anne
Chief of Staff: Anne makes sure that everything runs smoothly.
"I feel like I'm contributing to a company that makes a real difference"
Bram
Administrator: Bram creates structure to help us do justice to our purpose.
"Why do I work for dembrane? Because of the mission. Read my blog!"
Margot
Financial administrator: Margot keeps dembrane's books in order.
"I work part-time for dembrane, so every now and then I do something completely different!"
Cesare
AI Researcher: He builds things to understand the world, and he builds communities so others can do the same.
"I joined dembrane because helping communities self-organise is the best way to empower them."
Arne
Discovering where dembrane can make more impact by engaging the community.
"Democracy is ultimately a bottom-up process, I'm proud to be enabling it."
Patcon
Full stack engineer: Patcon builds digital experiences with deep respect for the quiet gifts of shared physical space.
"I joined dembrane because they are caring for and engaged in daily acts of practical imagination."
Open roles
If you care about making sure every voice is heard, we'd love to hear yours.
"One of the most calming and powerful actions you can do to intervene in a stormy world is to stand up and show your soul."
What's a dembrane?
A dembrane is a democratic membrane, a living, evolving platform that helps ideas flow between conversations and helps crowds become communities.
The best conversations usually stay trapped in small bubbles. We realized we needed to build something that lets ideas pass between groups while keeping each conversation safe for sharing what matters. We needed a word that didn't exist yet, so we made it up!
Values lead our way
Hopeful endurance
We are hopeful about our future & the future of democracy.
Empower people
People-power first (ethical). Tech-power second (functional).
Radical simplicity
We make it easy for everyone, even your grandparents.
Critical of AI
AI outputs are treated with suspicion, which fosters critical thinking.
Difference is potential
Difference creates energy; openness & curiosity spark new ideas.
Dialogue as DNA
By practicing self-reflection and listening to each other, we can change the world.
How we met
dembrane grew from a conviction each co-founder arrived at separately: people know how.
A missionary turned designer, an innovation scientist turned community organizer and a pro-gamer turned full-stack engineer. Between 2020 and 2024, we found each other.
We're building infrastructure for the conversations democracy needs so everyone can shape what happens next. Together, we make sense.
Ethics
Privacy
The essence of the membrane: selectively sharing only what is needed with who needs it for community growth.
Compliance
We don't see laws and regulations as barriers to innovation: they are the requirements that keep us safe. Read more about our compliance posture in the trust center.
Climate
Our dream is zero emissions, solar powered, decentralised dembranes. For now though, we have a climate impact policy & yearly report.
Join us for lunch, stay for the mission.
Most mornings we're in the old Marienburg monastery by 10. Core hours run until 4, Monday through Friday; Wednesdays we work from wherever. Early birds like Eve come in at 6:30. Night owls like Jorim take over after dark.
We'd rather build together than talk about planning a meeting. Personal growth counts as work too: reading, writing, walking, thinking. We run 12-week cycles, then take a 13th week to pause, look up, and plan what's next.
We cook lunch for each other. There's a place to nap. Fridays end with "team time": drinks, games, snacks, and whatever conversation needs finishing.
This work takes us places: events, conferences, collaborations across Europe. We're part of a growing ecosystem asking the same questions we are.
Startup life isn't always easy. But we're in it together.
On a journey to dembrane?
You can find us in the basement of the old Marienburg monastery in the heart of 's-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands. Easiest route? Take a train to Den Bosch and take a nice 10 minute walk through the city.
- Sint Janssingel 88, 5211DA
- KVK number: 89391438
- BTW/VAT number: NL864967433B01
- Business phone: +31 6 35625130
Curious about the background animation? Jorim made it in 2020 during his Master's at the Design Academy Eindhoven. Play with the original