TL,DR¶
So what is all this? ------ Its an Open Research Program that you can help develop
It's an open scientific research programme investigating Collective IQ
We use the definition of computer pioneer Douglas Engelbart for Collective IQ
a measure of how effectively a collection of people can concurrently develop, integrate, and apply its knowledge toward its mission
Our main research question:
How can socio-technical systems augment the Collective IQ of communities working toward a shared mission?
Currently this program has two dimensions:
- Theory — A thesis laying out the Smartup Hypothesis and how we suggest to prove or disprove it.
- Practice — Smartup Zero, a real community running the experiment that is testing the Smartup theory for the first time, right now
So what is the problem you are trying to solve? ------ We are bad in solving complex problems together
Humanity has never possessed more individual intelligence, computing power, or connectivity.
Yet our ability to solve complex societal problems together—climate change, democratic resilience, healthcare, education, housing, and sustainable development—appears to be improving far more slowly than our individual capabilities.
So what are you proposing? ------ We think communities need fundamentally different infrastructure
We think that systems explicitly designed for collective ownership, constitutional governance, institutional memory, transparent decision-making, and collaborative creation will measurably improve a community's Collective IQ.
We'll measure specifically the eight indicators identified by Engelbart: speed of learning, quality of memory, integration of capabilities, self-understanding, environmental perception, threat/opportunity recognition, plan generation, and resource coordination
So how are you testing that? ------ We'll run experiments
We have set up a field experiment called Smartup Zero (Experiment 0, the first Smartup)
We have a real group of people
They are building a real technology: an emergency communication system called ONLIFE.
And we are watching, very carefully, whether, against those 8 indicators, we see improvement in Collective IQ.. We've built a labaratory for that: SmartupOS
We're not guessing. We're measuring.
So what is Smartup Zero exactly? ------- That would be the first running experiment
Its the name for the first experiment to prove or disprove the Smartup Hypothesis.
It's a community that is owning, creating and governing a technology called ONLIFE together, following specific rules and using specific tools, in a digital labaratory called SmartupOS.
Its the first of many experiments. In the future you'll see Smartup One, Two, etc.
Each is an experiment generating data that we can use to figure out how communities collaborate more effecitvly to solve complex problems.
So what is ONLIFE exactly? ------- That is whats being build during that first experiment
If you would participate in Smarup Zero you will be using SmartupOS to co-own, co-create and co-govern ONLIFE.
It's is a emergency network technology that turns a group of ordinary smartphones into a self-organizing, decentralized communication network that works without internet or cell service.
It is designed for citizens and first responders to maintain communication during large-scale emergencies like blackouts, cyberattacks, or natural disasters, transforming fragility into resilience.
So what is SmartupOS exactly? ------- Its our labaratory that we use to run the experiments
To run this experiment fairly, we built our own laboratory apparatus called SmartupOS.
Think of it like this: If you wanted to study how plants grow under different conditions, you wouldn't use a random garden. You'd build a controlled greenhouse where you could measure everything precisely.
SmartupOS is our greenhouse for studying Collective IQ within groups that have a shared mission
A completely sovereign, open-source operating system built specifically to test the Smartup Hypothesis. No proprietary tools. No hidden databases. No algorithms optimizing for attention. Just text-based ledgers, chat commands, and transparent automation.
So how do you make money ------ we Open Source our funding at Open Collective
This is scientific research. Money is the means. Not the goal. We are funded through Open Collective. Our fiscal host is Open Source Europe. There are several ways this research is being funded. We always need more of course. Find out here how it works: Open Collective
So who is Doug Engelbart? ------ He is the thinker who started all this
Besides inventing the computer mouse, hypertext and giving the Mother Of All Demo's, more than fifty years ago, Douglas Engelbart proposed a radical idea: computers should augment human intellect, not just automate calculations. He saw technology as a tool for improving humanity's capacity to solve increasingly complex problems.
He also gave us a way to recognise that improvement when it happens. Engelbart identified eight observable signs of higher Collective IQ inside a group:
- Learns more quickly – absorbs experience and spots patterns faster
- Remembers its past better – retains institutional knowledge over time
- Integrates capabilities faster – brings diverse talents together effectively
- Understands its own makeup better – sees its strengths, weaknesses, and structure clearly
- Sees its environment more clearly – perceives the world with accuracy and nuance
- Recognises threats and opportunities faster – detects changes and understands them deeply
- Generates plans more cleverly – creates comprehensive, well‑adapted responses
- Coordinates resources more effectively – deploys effort, time, and money with less friction
Timeline0 extends Engelbart's questions into today's digital landscape. We investigate whether communities—when given the right socio‑technical infrastructure—can measurably improve across all eight of these indicators.
This isn't just philosophy. We're measuring it. In public.
Ready to Explore?¶
Choose where to go:
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Understand the Theory
Read the thesis. Understand the problem, hypothesis, and methodology.
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Watch the Experiment
Explore Smartup Zero. See the live community. Access the data.
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Join the Experiment
Participate. Join Smartup Zero. Start your own. Support the research.
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Talk to Us
Have questions? Want to collaborate? Curious about something?
The Four Principles Behind Everything¶
No matter which path you take, Timeline0 operates on four non-negotiable principles:
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Sovereign
EU-hosted, open-source, community-owned. Not dependent on any corporation.
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Transparent
Everything is published. All data is accessible. All reasoning is visible.
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Scientific
Rigorous methodology. Pre-registered claims. Welcome to falsification.
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Democratic
Power earned through service, not purchased. One person, one vote.
Partners & Collaborators¶
Timeline0 is not working alone. We're building in collaboration with:
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Research Institutions
Academic partners studying governance, CSCW, and collective intelligence
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Communities
Smartup groups testing this across different contexts and geographies
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Infrastructure Projects
Open-source communities providing tools and standards
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Networks
Organizations aligned with our mission of democratic innovation
The Current Status¶
🟠 Phase: Pre-Validation (Building & Testing the Laboratory)
Smartup Zero is actively running. SmartupOS is operational. Baselines are being established. The first cycles of the experiment are generating data.
| Component | Status |
|---|---|
| Governance Framework | ✅ Active and tested |
| Technical Apparatus | ✅ All systems operational |
| Measurement System | ✅ Collecting telemetry |
| Community Participation | ✅ 12 active members |
| Public Transparency | ✅ Full ledger published |
Next milestone: Advance to full Validation Phase with expanded participation.
Common Questions¶
Is this a startup?
No. Timeline0 is a research programme. We're not building a product to sell. We're testing a hypothesis about how communities can work together more effectively.
Smartup Zero uses SmartupOS (open-source infrastructure) to build ONLIFE (a real public-good technology), but the technology itself is not the point. The evidence generated while building it is the point.
How can I participate?
Multiple ways:
- Join Smartup Zero — Become an owner-contributor in the first experiment
- Start your own Smartup — Use SmartupOS to run an experiment in your community
- Support the research — Fund through Open Collective
- Collaborate as a researcher — Analyze data, design experiments, contribute to theory
What if the hypothesis is wrong?
That would be valuable. We're not trying to prove something we already believe. We're genuinely testing. If the hypothesis is refuted, we'll publish that evidence and learn from it.
Can I run this in my community?
Yes. SmartupOS is open-source. The constitution is published. All our workflows are documented. You can replicate the experiment independently.
We can advise, but you maintain full control.
Where is the data?
All in the open. Complete ledger: Forgejo Repository
All decisions, all tasks, all transactions. Machine-readable and auditable.
Stay Updated¶
Timeline0 publishes research openly as it happens. Subscribe to stay informed:
- Open Collective — Follow updates and support
- Forgejo — Watch the code and data
- Matrix Chat — Join the conversation
- Email Updates — Get announcements
Timeline0 is an open research programme investigating Collective IQ. We operate on principles of transparency, democracy, scientific rigor, and sovereignty. Learn more about our values and commitments.