Participant Information Sheet

Thank you for considering joining the Founding Phase of been.

Before you decide, we'd like to tell you what been is, what you can expect, and what taking part involves.

The Founding Phase is the first public pilot of been. By joining, you'll help shape how been grows while experiencing it in its earliest form.

We hope this information helps you decide whether joining feels right for you.

been is an AI companion designed to support self-recognition.

Sometimes we notice something before we have words for it — a feeling, a shift, a sense that something matters. Those moments can disappear quickly as we explain them away, question them, or move on.

been offers a quiet space to notice those experiences before they are replaced.

It isn't designed to tell you what to think, analyse your life, or keep you talking. Instead, it aims to help you recognise what is already there, then return to your day.

The goal of been isn't to become part of your life. The goal is to help you get back to living it.

The Companion is the conversational part of been.

You can begin a conversation whenever something feels difficult to understand, difficult to describe, or simply important enough to pause for.

Unlike many AI assistants, been doesn't try to answer every question or keep every conversation going. Instead, it is designed to respond gently, leave room for your own experience, and help you notice what may already be there.

Sometimes the conversation will be short. That is intentional. If you would like a longer conversation, you can simply ask. been will follow your pace.

There is no right way to use the Companion. Some people may stay for a few minutes. Others may only need a few words before returning to their day. That is perfectly okay.

Not every experience needs a conversation. Sometimes it's easier to write something in your own words.

The Journal is a private space where you can write about whatever feels important to you. You don't have to organise your thoughts or write in a particular way. A few words are enough. A longer reflection is welcome too.

If you choose, you can later bring a journal entry into a conversation with been. Or you can simply leave it where it is.

The Journal belongs to you. There is no expectation that every entry becomes a conversation. Like the Companion, its purpose is to support you in noticing your experience — not to keep you inside the app.

The Founding Phase is the first public pilot of been.

Rather than opening been to everyone at once, we're beginning with a small group of people who are willing to experience it thoughtfully and help shape its future.

As a Founding Participant, you'll be among the first people to use been outside its internal development. Your experience matters.

Your feedback will help us understand what feels helpful, what feels unclear, and where been can continue to grow while staying true to its purpose.

We aren't looking for perfect users. We're looking for honest experiences.

As a thank you for your time, care, and contribution, Founding Participants who complete the pilot will receive lifetime access to been.

We see this not as a reward, but as our way of acknowledging the people who helped shape been from the very beginning.

If you choose to join the Founding Phase, you'll be invited to use been over the course of the pilot.

There is no required number of conversations and no expectation that you use the app every day. We simply ask that you use been naturally, in the moments when it feels relevant to you.

During the pilot, we may invite you to share your experience through brief questionnaires or feedback forms. Some participants may also be invited to take part in a short follow-up conversation about their experience.

You're always free to decline any feedback request.

The purpose of the pilot is not to evaluate you. It's to help us understand how people experience been, so we can continue improving it while remaining true to its purpose.

Your privacy matters to us.

Using been may involve sharing personal thoughts, experiences, or reflections. We understand that these can feel deeply personal, and we are committed to treating your information with care and respect.

Information you choose to share with been is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy and related governance documents.

As part of the Founding Phase, we may use information from your participation to understand how people experience been and how it can be improved. Whenever possible, this information will be reviewed and reported in a way that does not identify you personally.

We will never publish information that could reasonably identify you without your explicit permission.

Taking part in the Founding Phase is entirely your choice.

If you decide to participate, you can stop at any time without giving a reason.

Choosing not to participate — or deciding to leave the pilot later — will not affect your relationship with been or with the people involved in the project.

If you choose to withdraw, you can contact us and we'll explain what information can be deleted and what information may already have been included in anonymous analyses or summaries.

We encourage you to participate only if it feels right for you. There is no pressure to continue if your circumstances or feelings change.

If you have any questions before, during, or after the Founding Phase, you're always welcome to get in touch. We'll do our best to answer your questions openly and honestly.

Doaa Samir Bazan, Founder of been — hello@beencompanion.app

Thank you for considering becoming one of our Founding Participants.

Whether you decide to join or not, we appreciate the time you've taken to learn about been. If you choose to join us, thank you for helping shape the earliest version of something built with care. We look forward to learning from your experience.