David Meltzer
Francesco Vitali is not your average strategist. For over 30 years, he has been the hidden hand behind celebrities, global entrepreneurs, luxury brands, and digital leaders who needed more than visibility — they needed authority. His career has moved across publishing, entertainment, and brand consulting with a rare mix of discipline and flair.
Among his closest collaborators was the late Ivana Trump, whom he advised for nearly two decades, guiding ventures across media, luxury, and real estate. He has shaped stories, engineered campaigns, and built identities that last.
Today, Vitali brings that same precision to technology. As CEO and co-founder of Rent A Cyber Friend, a platform with 2.6 million users and counting, he is preparing for the most selective stage in tech: TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 2025. Out of thousands of startups worldwide, only 200 are chosen. For Vitali, this moment is not about competition. It’s about reminding the world that in the age of AI and algorithms, humanity must come first.
Hollywood Times: Francesco, you’ve conquered many stages before — as a speaker, advisor, and producer. But TechCrunch Disrupt puts you on stage as a competitor. How does that feel?
Francesco Vitali: I don’t approach it as competition. I’ve been on stages before, but this one is different. They call it a battlefield — I see it as a mission stage. I’m not there to collect a trophy. I’m there to remind people: yes, AI is extraordinary, yes, social media changed the world, but none of it matters without us. Human first. That’s the real disruption.
Hollywood Times: Rent A Cyber Friend has already reached 2.6 million users without traditional advertising. How did that happen?
Francesco: When something is real, it doesn’t need to be forced. People are tired of platforms that make them sell an image or chase validation. On RACF, you can simply be yourself — talk, listen, share your perspective — and be rewarded for it. That honesty is why it spread. No gimmicks. Just human value.
Hollywood Times: You describe this as the “Human Connection Economy.” What does that mean in practice?
Francesco: For decades, digital platforms turned people into products. Your clicks, your data, your attention — all mined and sold. We flipped that. On Rent A Cyber Friend, you’re not the product. You are the value. Your story, your time, your presence. That’s the economy we’re building. And it’s not about exploitation. It’s about dignity.
Hollywood Times: TechCrunch Disrupt is known as the Oscars of startups. Does that pressure you?
Francesco: No pressure at all — only excitement. For me, being part of Disrupt is already a prize. To be in the same space with dozens of founders, investors, and entrepreneurs who are shaping tomorrow — that’s pure joy. It’s not about proving myself; it’s about connecting, exchanging energy, and reminding everyone why we build in the first place: for people.
Hollywood Times: What comes after Disrupt for Rent A Cyber Friend?
Francesco: We’re scaling with purpose. That means empowering our community with PRO memberships, better tools, faster earnings, and stronger partnerships — in education, wellness, and professional support. But the real milestone isn’t technical, it’s cultural: the moment when connection is no longer treated as optional, but recognized as essential. The day the world says, “Human presence has value — and always will.” That’s the future we’re building.
Hollywood Times: You’re known for leading with both seriousness and humor. How do you keep that balance?
Francesco: Humor is part of truth. Startups can burn you out: fundraising, deadlines, scaling. If you lose humor, you lose humanity. I never joke about the mission — I take that dead seriously. But I don’t take myself too seriously. People can feel the difference. It builds trust.
Hollywood Times: And if you win Startup Battlefield?
Francesco: Being selected already matters. Out of thousands, we’re one of the 200. That is history in itself. Winning would amplify the message, but I don’t measure victory in titles. The real victory is if even one investor, one founder, one person in that room walks away thinking: technology must serve people, not the other way around.
For decades, Francesco Vitali was the strategist behind the spotlight. Now, with Rent A Cyber Friend and TechCrunch Disrupt ahead, he is stepping into it — not to compete, but to deliver a message. In an era obsessed with AI and algorithms, his mantra is disarmingly simple: Human First.
To learn more about the Human Connection Economy and the platform reshaping it, visit www.RentACyberFriend.com.
