We built CoffeePals because we were lonely at work.
It was 2020, we were remote, and we realised we hadn't had a real conversation with a colleague in weeks. Not about a project. Just a conversation.
Kacper & Chris — co-founders, CoffeePals
CoffeePals was started by two friends — Kacper and Chris — who met online during the pandemic.
At the end of 2020, they were both in a bind. Kacper had been working remotely because of the lockdown. At first, he loved the flexibility and time savings. But after a while, isolation got to him. Not being around colleagues just felt really lonely.
Chris was looking for a new role but hesitant to start somewhere he couldn't meet people in person. He knew relationships and collaboration were integral parts of the job — starting remotely would be a real challenge.
So we built the thing we wished existed.
They had a hunch they weren't the only ones feeling this. From past experience, they knew random coffee chats are a great way to bring people together. And a huge number of people use Teams every day — that was the opportunity.
The pandemic ended. But it brought a lasting change in how we work. After tasting flexibility, savings, and happier workers, many organizations made remote work permanent.
CoffeePals was adopted by hundreds of organizations — including those that stayed in the office. Every organisation, no matter what they do or where they are, benefits from helping people connect with each other better.
We had an opportunity to help bring about the future of work. And that kept us going.
Since then, we've released Coffee Maker, cross-team matching, Coffee Lottery, one-click scheduling — all based on what we heard from our users. All to give people new and engaging ways to connect.
But that's just the start. We have a long list of ideas to make meeting your matches more seamless and exciting, provide powerful insights for administrators, and introduce entirely new ways of building community.
From a hunch to hundreds of organisations
Kacper and Chris meet online during the pandemic. They share the same frustration: work feels disconnected.
CoffeePals is born — automated coffee chats inside Microsoft Teams. The first users sign up within weeks.
Hundreds of organisations adopt CoffeePals. The product grows with cross-team matching and new programs.
Slack integration launches. Enterprise security hardening. CoffeePals becomes the go-to connection platform.
Coffee Maker, Coffee Lottery, one-click scheduling — all built from user feedback, all to help people actually know each other.
Expanding into mentorship, onboarding, and diversity programs. The mission widens: make work more human for everyone.
Connection isn't a perk. It's the foundation.
These beliefs shape everything we build — from the features we ship to the way we show up for our customers.
People First, Always
Every feature starts with a human need, not a metric. We build for the person on the other end of the screen.
Low Friction, High Trust
Connection shouldn't require effort. We automate the logistics so people can focus on actually talking.
Listen, Then Build
Our best features came from conversations with users. We don't assume — we ask, we watch, we iterate.
Inclusive by Design
We build for every team, every time zone, every work style. Connection should never be limited by geography.
Transparent & Honest
Straightforward pricing. Clear communication. No hidden surprises. We treat customers the way we'd want to be treated.
Small Team, Big Heart
We're a lean team that moves fast. That means every customer matters, every conversation counts, and every feature is intentional.