Freehour

With all sectors in business, sometimes it’s the simplest ideas that are the most effective – and the digital space is no different.

FreeHour Founder and CEO Zach Ciappara, now 22, started his company when, as a sixth form student, he realised there was no easy way for friends to find which empty slots in their timetable they had in common.

“A straightforward app that solves this recurring problem was a no-brainer. It took months of hard work and a lot of doubt at times, but we launched in March 2017 and grew quickly,” Mr Ciappara says.

When the pandemic struck, the company had to shift gears, expanding into the content space with a specific focus on the student and youth demographic. The success Free Hour found here has allowed the company to build a team of 17 and move into new offices, with further growth planned.

“The response has been incredible from both consumers and businesses. So, although we might have seen COVID as a threat initially, it’s since proven to be a brilliant opportunity,” Mr Ciappara continues. “We’ve grown from 4,000 followers on Instagram to 45,000, with an average of 3,500,000 impressions per week. Now our app continues to attract thousands of regular users, and we expect that trajectory to continue now that schools are returning to in-person learning.”

Global expansion is also on the cards. “We launched in Malta since it’s the market we know and understand thanks to our own personal experiences,” the Founder says. “Plus, the fact it’s a smaller country gave our community-based approach more validity, which allowed us to grow faster than most would have expected. However, we’ve already tested our concept overseas at one of Italy’s most prominent universities and the results have been very promising.”

This interview forms part of a larger cover story which appeared on the latest edition of Digital Island magazine.

Related

‘40 years in tourism have taught me how versatile Malta and the Maltese are’ – Leslie Vella

20 April 2023
by Sarah Muscat Azzopardi

The Deputy CEO and Chief Officer Strategic Development for the Malta Tourism Authority charts his impressive career in the sector, ...

‘Unless you understand what a company is looking for, you’ll never be able to find the right people’

17 April 2023
by Sarah Muscat Azzopardi

The owner of H-Seventeen, Charlie Stoker, reveals what puts a UK-based recruiter in the perfect position to source candidates from ...

‘Since our inception, we have been dedicated to developing innovative and immersive gaming experiences’

29 March 2023
by Rebecca Anastasi

CMO, Kate, is in a unique position to share the company’s successes, and the lessons taken from BGaming’s rapid growth ...

‘With the right frame of mind, challenges can be turned into opportunities’ – Valletta Cruise Port CEO

7 February 2023
by Ramona Depares

Passenger movements are set to increase by more than a quarter of a million over the next 12 months, CEO ...

Close Bitnami banner
Bitnami