Francesco Vitali openly acknowledges that when his business partner Chris Siametis first introduced the concept of Rent a Cyber Friend, he didn’t immediately grasp the idea.
“Who would actually pay to have a conversation with someone?” Vitali remarked to TechCrunch. “But Chris was persistent. Chris is from the millennial generation, while I’m Gen X, so it took me a while to see what he envisioned.”
Vitali and Siametis had collaborated for nearly twenty years, previously running 48FILM, a global short film competition (Vitali also produces films). Despite his doubts, Vitali decided to trust Siametis’s persistent idea: a video chat service where users pay by the minute to casually interact with a “cyber friend.”
Without any venture capital or marketing budget, Rent a Cyber Friend managed to attract 3 million users. The team hasn’t even set up social media accounts due to limited staff. The company is participating in Startup Battlefield and will showcase its platform at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 in San Francisco later this month.
The rapid expansion of the platform challenged Vitali’s initial skepticism. As he began using the service himself, he recognized a substantial demand for genuine human interaction—especially at a time when people are willing to pay for conversations with AI.
“Loneliness is the most widespread affliction in the world today,” Vitali explained. “Countless people feel isolated, are underemployed, or searching for meaning. Our platform restores value to human time and creates a space where being human truly matters.”
Cyber friends must first verify their identity before setting their own per-minute rates for chats, with the platform retaining 20% of the earnings. Users aren’t just seeking companionship; some cyber friends charge more if they have academic credentials, expertise in a particular field, or fluency in a language that users want to practice.
Ensuring safety and moderating content is a significant challenge for any social platform, especially one that facilitates live video conversations. Vitali points out that users can block others, but as the user base grows, the company will need to invest more in keeping the community safe. The next step is to implement a faster and more comprehensive vetting process for potential cyber friends.
Vitali’s perspective shifted soon after launch when he interacted with a 19-year-old user from China. He noticed this user was among the most active, spending $200 daily to chat. Vitali arranged for himself to be the only available cyber friend and used the opportunity to ask about the user’s experience, without disclosing his role as founder.
“He told me, ‘I don’t feel comfortable meeting strangers at the mall, but this site lets me connect with people worldwide and share cultures.’ That was the moment I realized we were onto something,” Vitali recalled.
Vitali still believes that face-to-face connections are irreplaceable. Yet, in an online world where people often get drawn into unhealthy or manipulative interactions with AI designed to keep them engaged, he finds value in a platform that prioritizes authentic human relationships.
If you’re interested in discovering more about Rent a Cyber Friend directly from the team—and want to explore dozens of other startups, hear their presentations, and attend talks across four stages—join us at Disrupt in San Francisco from October 27 to 29. Find out more here.
