Enspiral grew out of a vision to get “more people working on stuff that matters.” It grew organically, from a handful of people who wanted to free themselves from full-time work and spend time working on social enterprises. From its origins as a limited company sourcing freelance contracts for individuals, it continued to grow beyond its Wellington, New Zealand base to become a foundation of likeminded individuals collaborating across the world. The loose structure and lack of hierarchy meant that it was up to the individuals to forge their own path. Enspiral offered them tools and platforms to pitch and develop their ideas, attracting others to join new ventures and companies. The tools were usually web-based but the ventures consisted of services, such as legal or accounting, as well as digital companies to solve social problems. At its heart, Enspiral was “an altruistic network based on trust, with a vibrant gift economy” where participants had links to people with skills and connections they might need. Participants acted as lenders and investors of money to each other’s ventures. It was a growing, collective, collaborative organism that was rapidly growing into something “greater than the sum of its parts.”
