On September 26, 2024, at the Kazerne in Eindhoven, Civinc proudly won the Next Gen Award at the second edition of the HR Technology Awards. In this interview, we speak with Ruben Treurniet, co-founder of Civinc, about the origins of the company, what sets it apart in the HR tech space, and how its innovative platform is transforming the way organizations engage with and listen to their employees.
How did Civinc start, and what does it aim to achieve?
“At Civinc our motto is ‘let’s make conversation’, as we aim to create a space for meaningful conversations in the workplace. Our platform is designed to create that space, as a way to involve and understand employees on important topics like diversity, inclusion, company culture, and strategy. What makes Civinc special is the unique type of conversation we enable. During a 30-minute Civinc session we connect employees in anonymous chats, or ‘speeddates’, pairing them with someone who has a different perspective on the topic at hand.
The anonymity is key—it means they could be talking to anyone, from the CEO to an intern, without any preconceptions. This safe space allows for open, honest conversations. While dozens or hundreds of couples exchange thoughts at the same time, our AI analyzes the content, giving leaders valuable insights into what employees are thinking and feeling about key issues.”
What sets Civinc apart from traditional employee engagement methods?
“Civinc stands out because it’s not just about collecting data—it’s about facilitating two-way conversations at scale. Traditional engagement tools like town halls or surveys often only capture feedback from the most vocal employees. Many voices go unheard, particularly those of quieter employees or those who may not feel comfortable speaking up in large groups.
Our platform ensures everyone can participate, including this ‘silent majority’. And because the conversations are anonymous, people feel safer sharing their true opinions. What’s more, Civinc isn’t just a one-off intervention – Civinc sessions can be organizaed on an ongoing basis to help companies continually gauge sentiment on different themes and adjust accordingly.”
Who is Civinc best suited for?
“Civinc is ideal for any organization that values true employee engagement and is committed to taking action on what their employees say. We work with companies that don’t just want to tick a box with an annual survey but genuinely want to understand and involve their employees in the decision-making process. Our platform is especially relevant for modern HR leaders who believe in the power of employee input and want to foster a culture of inclusion and transparency. If an organization values continuous feedback and making their employees feel heard, Civinc is a perfect fit.”
Can you share any key partnerships or clients that helped Civinc in its early days?
“VodafoneZiggo was one of our key early partners, and they played an important role in our growth. We started with a pilot session focusing on diversity and inclusion, and they quickly saw the value in our approach. They understood how powerful it could be to create real dialogue between employees, and they helped us scale the platform across their entire organization.
Having such a well-known company believe in us early on was crucial. It gave us the confidence and validation to keep growing, and it showed other organizations the potential of Civinc.”
Civinc’s concept of dialogue between different perspectives is fascinating. How did this idea come about?
“Interestingly, Civinc’s roots are in the public domain. We originally launched a platform called “Waaromkiesjij.nl” (‘why do you vote’) during the Dutch elections to encourage dialogue between voters with opposing views. The goal was to break down political bubbles and reduce polarization by facilitating anonymous chat conversations between people with different perspectives.
It was incredibly successful, with hundreds of thousands of voters engaging in these dialogues. We realized that while this approach was powerful in politics, it could also be applied to organizations. Many companies struggle with differing opinions on sensitive topics like diversity, strategy, and culture. Civinc allows them to bridge those gaps through meaningful conversations, and leverage the unique data-insights those conversations produce.”
How important is innovation to Civinc, and how do you ensure you keep evolving?
“Innovation is at the heart of Civinc. We’re constantly looking for ways to improve the platform and provide deeper insights for organizations. For example, we’re continually integrating more advanced AI models to better analyze the conversations happening on our platform. The feedback we provide to companies is not only anonymous but also highly detailed, revealing the ideas, arguments and points of contention in real-time. We’ve come a long way from our original political dialogue platform, and we’re excited to keep pushing boundaries and improving how organizations engage with their people.”
You recently won the Next Gen Award at the HR Tech Awards. Can you tell us about that experience?
“Winning the Next Gen Award was an incredible experience. The entire process, from nomination to winning, was very professional, and it was inspiring to be among so many innovative companies. We didn’t expect to win because we were up against some very strong competitors, but I think what set us apart was the innovative potential of our platform and the broader impact we’re trying to achieve. The jury really saw the uniqueness of our approach—fostering real, meaningful dialogue in a way that hasn’t been done before in the employee engagement space.”
Why did you decide to participate in the HR Tech Awards?
“As a startup, it’s important to be part of a community of diverse stakeholders. The HR Tech Awards and the community around them offered the perfect platform for that. We saw it as an opportunity to connect with other founders, learn from them, and share our experiences.
But more than that, it gave us the chance to showcase Civinc to a wider audience and validate our approach. The awards ceremony was filled with people from across the industry, and it was an amazing chance for cross-pollination of ideas and potential collaborations.”
What advice would you give to future participants of the HR Tech Awards?
“I would say focus on what makes your product truly unique. It’s important to highlight what’s new and different about your solution, not just for your business case but also for the jury. If your product has a strong mission or a broader societal impact, make sure that shines through. In our case, the purpose behind Civinc—fostering meaningful dialogue and inclusion—really resonated with the jury, and I think that made all the difference.”
