These scenarios illustrate the core mechanism: an algorithm finding chains of exchange that humans would never spot.
Each scenario shows the businesses involved, what each has to offer (surplus), what each needs, the chain the algorithm discovers, and why this couldn't happen without algorithmic matching.
The "magic" of multi-party matching
The Participants
Quiet weekday afternoons, surplus pastries
Bookkeeping help
Spare capacity on Fridays
Venue for client workshops
Dark Monday–Wednesday daytime
Marketing help for season
Design capacity between projects
Catering for launch event
The Chain
What the Algorithm Found
No two of these businesses could have traded directly. But the algorithm, seeing all offerings and needs simultaneously, found a path that closes the loop.
The Outcome
Everyone gave something that would otherwise have been wasted. Everyone received something they genuinely needed.
What becomes possible when matching works
The Participants
Rehearsal space weekday mornings, choreography expertise
Video documentation of performances
Video production skills, editing suite
Unique filming locations
Stunning but underused space
Help with social media and audience development
Audio production, audience reach
Live performance content for programming
Performers, event curation expertise
Rehearsal and workshop space
The Chain
Why This Matters
Arts organisations are perpetually under-resourced. They have assets (space, skills, audiences, creative capacity) but rarely the cash to pay for what they need.
This scenario shows cultural organisations supporting each other in ways that would never happen through market transactions:
- A dance company gets professional video (normally unaffordable)
- A venue builds audience (without marketing budget)
- A radio station gets original content (without production costs)
- A filmmaker accesses stunning locations (without rental fees)
The mechanism isn't just efficient. It unlocks creative potential that's currently blocked by lack of money.
Trading skills when cash is scarce
The Participants
Developers with spare cycles, office space
Legal review of terms & conditions
Legal expertise, flexible schedule
Website and basic branding
Design skills, enthusiasm
Accounting setup, tax advice
Accounting expertise
Office/meeting space for client meetings
The Chain
The Bootstrap Problem
Early-stage businesses have the same problem: they have skills but not cash.
- Legal costs are scary and often deferred unsafely
- Designers often neglect their own business admin
- Finding affordable meeting space is hard
- Everyone needs professional services but can't afford them
Each business gets something critical (legal review, accounting setup, branding, office access) without anyone needing to find budget they don't have.
What If the Startup Ecosystem Could Bootstrap Itself?
Every participant here is trading capacity that would otherwise sit idle:
- The startup's meeting room is empty most days
- The solicitor has gaps in her calendar
- The designer has downtime between projects
- The bookkeeper needs to build a client base
The algorithm turns these scattered surpluses into value everyone can use.
The three-party chain
The Participants
Contract review capacity
Brand refresh
Event catering capacity
Legal review of contracts
Brand identity expertise
Catering for client event
The Chain
The Simplest Multi-Party Exchange
This is the minimum viable chain: three parties, no direct matches possible, but the algorithm finds a path.
Everyone gets exactly what they need by giving exactly what they have spare.
What These Scenarios Have in Common
Surplus, not sacrifice
Every participant gave something that would otherwise have gone unused: empty hours, capacity between projects, underutilised space, skills with no immediate client.
Multi-party chains
No direct trades were possible. The value only flows because the algorithm found chains connecting businesses that would never have found each other.
Real business value
These aren't token exchanges. Each participant received something they genuinely needed: professional services (legal, accounting, design), physical resources (venue space, catering), audience access (marketing, promotion).
Trust builds over time
In practice, these chains would form between businesses with some track record. New participants would start with smaller exchanges, building toward opportunities like these.