Project Monnet Gears Up to Reshape Future of Social Media, Digital Space in Europe

Chronicle.lu recently spoke with Christos Floros, a local pro-European politician and activist who is spearheading Project Monnet, about this new project aimed at developing an impactful European social media platform.

Chronicle.lu: What sparked the idea to create Project Monnet - and to name it after EU pioneer Jean Monnet?

Christos Floros: I've been thinking about the future of media and social media for the past two years. After my time at RTL, I built Nei to experiment with delivering short-form news content on existing social platforms. Then, at Talkwalker, I really grasped the power of social media data. And then, well, Elon Musk essentially weaponised one of the biggest platforms [X, formerly Twitter]. That set off alarm bells. It became clear that we need alternatives, that we can't leave our digital public spaces in the hands of just a few companies with their own agendas.

As for the name? Jean Monnet was one of the founding fathers of the European project. Europe needs another Monnet plan for the digital age. And, well, Monnet also works in Franglais: "Mon Net Social". It just clicks.

Beyond that, this project ties into something deeper for me. I guess you know I think everything is political. All the things I do are fuelled by my wish to contribute to our commons, one way or another. This is how this effort looks right now. My background is in architecture and theatre, and I've been influenced by thinkers like Henri Lefebvre and David Harvey - their work on space, their arguments about how it shapes democracy, culture and power. And at the heart of it, space is a right. Who controls it? Who gets access? Who sets the rules? In the early days, platforms like Twitter were called "digital town squares", but let's be honest - they're private malls. And right now, they're overwhelmingly controlled by tech giants, whose priorities don't always align with how many of us see the world.

That's why Monnet matters. Even in a free market, we can create spaces with different rules, different norms - places that reflect our values. We talk about the right to assembly, the right to speech - shouldn't we also talk about the right to digital space? I don't have a magic solution, but I shared this vision with friends, and soon, talented people got excited. And so, we started building.

Chronicle.lu: With many users having left X (and Meta platforms) in recent months, notably over concerns as to the direction such platforms are taking (more hate speech, fake news), how could Monnet provide a strong, reliable alternative?

Christos Floros: We have to compete. If we don't, we leave the entire digital public space ecosystem to just a few corporations. And we've seen what happens when we do that. X has become a propaganda machine. Meta, meanwhile, is under massive regulatory and economic pressure. But rather than just looking at the threats, I see an opportunity. If we build a real alternative, we don't just give users a choice - we force the biggest platforms to improve as well.

Europe can't afford to be absent from this space. Social media isn't just entertainment; it shapes culture, politics and economies. If we do this right, if we build something people actually love, we can create real change.

Chronicle.lu: How can Monnet help build Europe's own digital ecosystem based on trust, transparency and opportunity?

Christos Floros: Algorithmic transparency. Right now, platforms decide what you see, and you have no control over it. We want to flip that power dynamic. You should be able to adjust the algorithm - whether you want a chronological feed or one based on discovery and engagement, the choice should be yours. Think of it like tuning an instrument before you play it. That's how you rebuild trust. That's how you ensure transparency. And in doing so, we create opportunity - for creators, businesses and communities. And the timing couldn't be better. AI is evolving fast, quantum computing is on the horizon - there are so many opportunities. User habits are shifting and new players can emerge. The moment is now.

Chronicle.lu: Amid calls for more regulation on digital platforms, how should Monnet align with the EU Digital Services Act, which aims to create a safer digital space that protects users' rights?

Christos Floros: For us, the DSA isn't just regulation - it's the standard we want to help set. It's a baseline for how we hope to serve users, not just in Europe, but globally.

Chronicle.lu: How could building a European social network help strengthen Europe's position in the digital world?

Christos Floros: Right now, Europe is mostly a bystander in the digital space. That's a problem. The platforms shaping global conversations - where culture is shaped, where commerce happens - are dominated by American and Chinese companies. We need a seat at the table. Not to isolate ourselves, but to have influence over the systems shaping our societies. A strong European platform means we're not just passive consumers - we're builders, innovators, competitors. And that strengthens our entire tech ecosystem, from AI to infrastructure to the creator economy.

Look, if Hollywood sold Californication in the 20th century, social media is selling whatever the US and China are pushing now. Culture is power. Do we want to participate?

Chronicle.lu: What does the Monnet team currently look like and what skills do you need to make the project a reality?

Christos Floros: We're a strong and diverse team, in terms of skills. I'm leading the product vision, and we have an excellent technical co-founder. Until recently, this was a weekend project, but I'm now going all in, leaving my other work behind to fully commit. Someone has to take the first risk, and that's me.

For now, until we secure funding, we're focused on building, not making big public announcements, so you will only see me as the public member of the team; but I certainly couldn't do it without them and we'll be pitching to investors together. The main challenge? Financing. We don't need fancy offices, but we do need server power and infrastructure to support video content. That's where the real cost is. We need fundraising expertise. We need core developers and builders - people who believe in this vision and want to help deliver it. AI has changed the game: building isn't the hard part anymore. Funding and execution are.

Chronicle.lu: At what stage is the project currently? What are the next steps?

Christos Floros: We're not far away from a fully functional prototype. But a full launch depends on funding. My goal is to incorporate the company in April and secure pre-seed funding by September. We're already in discussions - and we'd love to talk with capital firms like Mangrove and Expon to tap into their expertise. And we've been lucky to get advice and introductions from people and entrepreneurs like Ilana Devillers, Jana Degrott, Panos Meidanis and David Foy - and many more to thank really. There's real momentum.

Chronicle.lu: What are some of the challenges facing the project, especially in terms of financing?

Christos Floros: When you see that Meta makes $250 per user in the US on Instagram alone, or that verification is selling for $200 a year, you realise even a tiny market share makes this both impactful and profitable.

So we need to convince key players to back us. The risk culture is different in the US, but I'm optimistic about what we can do from Luxembourg too. This is not my first entrepreneurial adventure, but it is my first time looking to raise capital - I've certainly learnt that to scale, you need a great springboard, and that's the capital to be able to build your vision.

Of course we won't go the TikTok route of waiting a decade to monetise, we won't have a backer giving us 10 billion dollars just to acquire users. But we have a straight-to-revenue roadmap. Speed is key. The faster we hit the market, the better our odds.

Chronicle.lu: How can the public, businesses and institutions support and/or get involved in Monnet?

Christos Floros: The public? Get excited. Try the platform when we launch. Spread the word. We may even offer ways for users to directly support us. Businesses? Adopt early. Engage with communities on a platform built for trust. Institutions? We hope some will support us with capital or introductions. There are already interesting conversations happening, but let's see.

At the end of the day, this isn't just about a social network. It's about shaping the future of digital discourse. Social media is replacing television and legacy media. The next generation isn't growing up watching prime-time broadcasts - they're shaped by algorithmic content.

I don't know if a year from now I'll be telling you how we tried and failed, or how we're on our way to success. But we're giving it everything we've got.