Rep’d, short for “Represented”, is the first on-demand Town Hall for communities and leaders. They provide a designated digital space for communities to ask questions and for leaders to respond personally with short video answers, accessible on any schedule. Their mission is to bridge the widening trust gap between communities and their leaders in both politics and local government.
At the start of 2020, brothers Mike Baumwoll and Dave Baumwoll felt upset with the civic discourse. They were frustrated with social media’s inability to foster productive, civil, informative conversations, and they saw these problems exacerbated by society’s inability to communicate in-person during the COVID-19 pandemic.
They set out to improve communication within local communities as a means of fighting back against entrenched social media bubbles, relentless trolling, and unprecedented levels of polarization. So Mike and Dave created Rep’d, which is short for “Represented”.
Rep’d is the first on-demand Town Hall for communities and leaders. It allows voters and candidates, constituents and elected officials, or residents and city leaders to connect safely and personally through a video Q&A experience.
Rep’d gives voters, residents, and constituents a microphone to ask and upvote questions, and gives leaders a megaphone to easily keep their communities informed through short video responses. With its simple design and 24/7 accessibility, Rep’d allows anyone regardless of age, background, or digital savvy to be an informed and engaged participant in their community.
COO Mark Friese joined Rep’d in 2022, recognizing the platform’s incredible potential to create trust and transparency in our communities. As leaders and entrepreneurs, Mike, Dave, and Mark want Rep’d to play a role in creating a world in which everyone can have a say in the decisions that impact their lives.
They are thrilled to be part of HGL’s 2023 Accelerator Cohort: Mike shared, “I am humbled to be a part of this community. It shows that we’ve built something that has merit and can help improve people’s lives.”
