Kortrijk-based startup Tinrate has quickly captured attention in the European tech scene. Founded by serial entrepreneur Gunther Ghysels, the platform aims to simplify the way people buy and sell expertise online. Just one month after its official launch, Tinrate secured $1.8 million in a Seed funding round to accelerate its growth.
Turning Knowledge into a Service
Tinrate seeks to make expertise a straightforward, monetisable service across any sector or profession. Users can create free profiles and link them to existing channels, such as websites, social media, or email signatures. In the near future, the platform will allow searches by sector, niche, or professional profile, enabling users to access advice quickly through video calls.
Ghysels, who previously founded the driver platform Get Driven, believes the value of expertise extends far beyond traditional professions. “It is just as normal to pay someone who knows everything about wine, travel, fashion, music, or entrepreneurship in a specific niche,” he explains. Tinrate’s mission is to remove the stigma around paid advice and create a standard for valuing knowledge.
Infrastructure, Not Intermediary
Unlike traditional marketplaces, Tinrate positions itself as an infrastructure rather than an intermediary. The platform handles bookings, payments, invoicing, and feedback automatically, allowing experts to focus on providing advice. Instant online payments also improve cash flow for professionals, a factor Ghysels emphasizes as critical for scaling expertise-based services.
The platform explicitly targets both established knowledge professions, such as lawyers and tax advisors, as well as niche experts whose knowledge can be shared via video calls. Already, more than 1,000 professionals have signed up, reflecting growing interest in monetising practical skills outside conventional markets.
“OnlyFans for Knowledge”
Ghysels likens Tinrate to a subscription-style platform for knowledge, drawing a parallel to the creator economy. “You can compare it a bit to OnlyFans for knowledge and advice,” he says, highlighting the trend of knowledge-as-a-service with transparent pricing. He notes that this comparison is meant to illustrate the shift in how expertise is offered, rather than provoke controversy.
Strong Investor Support
Tinrate’s €1.6 million Seed round reflects confidence from both seasoned entrepreneurs and new investors. Returning backers include Steve Rousseau of House of Talents and Ghysels’ former Get Driven collaborators, Helena Brutsaert and Arne Vandendriessche. New participants include Frederik Poelman, Louis Balcaen, Filip Smet, Thibault De Keyzer, Frederik Verhelst, Matthias Vandepitte, Piet Van Waes, and tech newcomer Viktor Verhulst. Belfius also contributed, while the round was led by Ghent-based financing agency The Harbour and KPMG.
Ghysels acknowledges the responsibility that comes with such high-profile support. “I am extremely grateful that so many big names believe in me, but it certainly brings added pressure,” he says. The funding is intended to ensure Tinrate can scale quickly and establish its position in a competitive digital knowledge market.
Expertise in the Age of AI
Tinrate taps into a broader trend of knowledge sharing, which remains fragmented despite the rise of AI platforms. Ghysels argues that while AI can provide theoretical answers, practical expertise from real-world experience remains invaluable. “You can find the theory on ChatGPT, but in the long run, you should find the practical side on Tinrate,” he explains, noting that social media continues to influence demand for specialised knowledge.
With global accessibility from day one, Tinrate aims to scale across continents and redefine how expertise is shared. Ghysels envisions a future where niche advice becomes as commonplace and accessible as consulting from traditional professions. By combining automated infrastructure with human insight, Tinrate hopes to make knowledge a globally traded commodity.