Hi there! I'm Max, the founder of Compañero, an open-source application for hitchhiking and ridesharing. Let me tell you how it all started. A couple of years ago, I moved to a small city in the middle of nowhere. Coming from a big city, I was used to having various taxi and ridesharing options at my fingertips. However, I quickly realized that none of the popular ridesharing apps operated there. This made getting around town a real challenge, especially since public transportation was limited and taxi very expensive. Frustrated by the lack of options, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I've always been passionate about coding, so I thought, "Why not create a simple app that connects drivers and riders in our community?" That's how Compañero was born. I started small, developing a basic version of the app that allowed users to request rides they needed and drivers could accept them. I shared it in local Facebook groups, Telegram chats, and even put up stickers with QR code at my friends' bar and several barbershops. The response was incredible! People from the town were excited to have a local solution that addressed their transportation needs. As more people started using Compañero, I continued to improve the app based on user feedback. I added features like a recommended price calculation, scheduled rides, and a rating system. The community aspect of Compañero really took off, with users organizing carpools for work, school, and events. Seeing the positive impact Compañero had on our small city, I realized that many other communities around the world might be facing similar challenges. That's when I decided to make Compañero available worldwide. I used to share the app via different chats all over the world. It was a great idea, but still took a lot of effort. So, I decided to make my app open-source! By making it open-source, I hope to encourage developers from different regions to adapt Compañero to their local needs and contribute to its growth. I believe this decision will lead to some amazing collaborations and innovations I never could have imagined on my own. Today, Compañero is being used in small cities and rural areas across the globe, helping connect people and make transportation more accessible. It's been an incredible journey, and I'm excited to see how Compañero continues to evolve and serve communities worldwide.