About comCensus — our mission and the team

The founder

Built by a scientist who studies knowledge itself.

Daniele Fanelli

Founder
Asst. Professor, Heriot-Watt University
Visiting Fellow, London School of Economics

I am a meta-scientist and Professor in Social Research Methods, and my research examines the threats and obstacles to scientific progress — not just in academia, but in every organisation that relies on collective decision-making.

This work led me to develop a formal theory of how knowledge is produced and measured, and to the uncomfortable insight that most groups leave an enormous share of their collective intelligence on the table, not because people lack insight, but because the conditions that let ideas be shared and shaped collectively are not realised.

comCensus is my answer to that problem. It is independent, unbiased, and has no agenda beyond helping you access the information your community already holds.

Why we exist

Three forces that silence collective intelligence.

Self-silencing

People hold back — especially when they're vulnerable, when their view is in the minority, or when they sense the room has already decided. The most valuable signals go unshared.

Polarisation

Discussions are routinely captured by the loudest and most extreme voices. Everyone else conforms or disengages, leaving decisions shaped by the few rather than informed by the many.

Complexity

The harder the problem, the more perspectives that matter — and the harder it becomes to synthesise them into something actionable. Scale makes the problem worse, not better.

How we address them

Three things comCensus does that nothing else does together.

Structured deliberation

We design the conditions for honest exchange, drawing on decades of research into how groups reach genuine, uncoerced consensus.

Assisted intelligence

Our specialised algorithms and AI integrate diverse perspectives in real time, surfacing deeper insights and a collective answer that reflects everyone's input.

Transparent results

All opinions, exchanges and emerging consensus are visible in real time to all participants — and to the public, if you choose — creating a transparent, citable record of exactly what your community thinks.

What we stand for

Four rights we're designed to protect.

Honest expression

Everyone has the right to say what they genuinely feel, believe, and know — and to freely decide what to listen to in return.

Full visibility

Everyone deserves to see every side of a controversy — including how much real consensus exists, not just how loud each side is.

Freedom to explore

Any idea should be shareable and examinable without fear of judgement, censorship, or social penalty.

The right to change

Changing your mind is a sign of intelligence, not weakness. We design for it — free from external pressure or embarrassment.

Your community already has the answers.
We help you tap into its collective intelligence.

Built by a scientist who studies knowledge itself.