From a young age, Zach Ciappara was drawn to creativity and technology. While studying business and computing at university, he realized he didn’t need to wait for a degree to start a company.

He dropped out midway through his studies to pursue an idea that seemed almost too simple: a timetable-sharing app for students. “I loved Apple, I loved apps, I loved that space,” Zach says. “So when I saw how fragmented it was to coordinate with friends at college, I thought, what if we could just share our timetables?” With a sketch and the conviction to make it real, he set out to build the first version.

However, like many early-stage founders, Zach had no technical background. He approached developers for help, but they quoted him €30,000, far more than he could afford. Instead, he stripped the idea down to its most basic feature: a shared timetable. With crowdfunding and support from friends and family, he raised a few thousand euros and commissioned a minimum viable product.

The launch proved the concept immediately. On the first day, FreeHour recorded 700 downloads and within a few months it hit 10,000. Soon after, Zach entered a local competition and won €12,000 to continue development. What had started as a narrow tool, a timetable app, began to expand into much more. Today it is Malta’s leading student and youth platform with over 35,000 active users and a reach that extends across most of the island’s colleges and universities. The app allows students to share timetables, track assignments, check their government stipend dates and access tailored offers and job postings. Alongside the tech platform, FreeHour’s media arm produces social content that has become a daily touchpoint for young Maltese, from campus news and memes to mental health campaigns and career tips. For advertisers, it offers one of the most direct and trusted ways to engage with Malta’s youth; and for students, it has become an indispensable tool that combines utility with community.

The company’s growth was fast, but its resilience was tested during COVID-19. With advertisers pulling back, FreeHour pivoted to build a media arm, producing content that both engaged students and created new brand opportunities. The media arm has become an equally important pillar of FreeHour’s identity. What began as a survival pivot during the pandemic is now a powerful brand-builder, producing campaigns and content that speak the language of Malta’s younger generation. From collaborations with major employers to awareness-drives on social issues, FreeHour Media has positioned itself as both an advertising partner for brands and an authentic voice for students. This dual model – technology and media – gives the company resilience, reach and credibility, turning FreeHour into a household name across Malta.

From the outside, FreeHour looks like an overnight success, but Zach is quick to point out the hidden struggles. “We had product-market fit quickly because I was the customer, but the real challenges were in building the company itself – staffing, structure, processes,” he says. “No one teaches you these things, so it’s a lot of trial and error.” Leadership was the hardest part. At just 18, Zach found himself responsible for a team of 20. “I would finish the day thinking, I really don’t know what I’m doing here. I used to tell the team that this was my first time being a CEO too, so we had to figure it out together.” That honesty helped build trust, but it also forced Zach to grow rapidly. He invested in self-development, teaching himself through YouTube videos, Y Combinator talks and startup lectures from abroad.

He learned the importance of soft skills such as communication, conflict management and culture, and built a company that prides itself on openness and growth. While much of his growth was self-directed, Zach also benefited from having “peripheral people” as sounding boards – advisors he could turn to for local context and specific challenges. Combined with global startup resources, that mix helped him navigate difficult moments. “It was never one mentor but a combination of people and a lot of online learning,” he says.

Today, FreeHour’s team includes experienced managers and young recruits, many of them in their first jobs. Rather than seeing inexperience as a drawback, Zach views it as an opportunity to shape people into leaders. Training, mentorship and creativity are central. “We give them space to learn and have fun doing it.” The result is a team that feels more like a family than a corporate structure with shared values and a strong sense of purpose. For Zach, creating this environment is as important as building the product itself: it ensures that FreeHour is not only solving problems for students but also nurturing the next generation of Maltese talent.

Zach’s involvement in Malta’s startup ecosystem began as a student founder, when he attended talks and networking events. Over time, he became more active in sharing his experience, giving his own talks and supporting new founders. “It’s good for FreeHour’s brand, but it’s also about helping others learn from our mistakes.” He sees progress in Malta’s ecosystem, particularly in the opportunities for funding, events and knowledge sharing. But challenges remain, especially around internationalization. “We’re still limited by mindset. There’s more exposure now, but it still feels different compared to Silicon Valley.” More support in scaling abroad, he argues, would help Malta’s founders reach their full potential.

As a young founder, Zach faced questions about credibility, but he believes youth was more of an opportunity than an obstacle. “I was able to communicate in a way that didn’t make me seem as young as I was, and partnerships gave us credibility,” he says. “Being young also opens doors. People want to help you, and you can learn from CEOs early. If you capitalize on it, it gives you years of experience ahead of others.”

However, youth did not protect him from founding anxiety or from the mental health challenges that come with leading a company; it got to him like it would any other founder. “It’s an underrated part of the role. It’s lonely, and you have to handle pressure well. There were moments when I asked myself, What am I doing here?” In the early days his identity was tightly tied to FreeHour, but over time he learned to separate the two. “That separation has advantages – you can detach from outcomes – but also disadvantages, because the early drive can fade. You need to find new ways to motivate yourself.”

Now in his late twenties, Zach is in what he calls a “transitionary phase.” FreeHour is stable and largely self-sufficient, giving him the space to explore new ventures. He is interested in AI and other verticals, but any new project, he insists, must be a passion, not just a business for its own sake. In the meantime, he sees Malta as the right base: it is comfortable, full of opportunity, and he is well connected through the relationships he has built. “There’s a lot still to capitalize on here,” he says.

For other founders who want to follow his footsteps, Zach encourages early action. “Start as early as possible – it’s practice. Even if your first or second idea doesn’t work, it’s real-world training.” The other key, he says, is passion: “Find the thing you’d do for free. I used to stay up till 4 AM just working on FreeHour before I even thought of it as a business. Once you find that, the resistance doesn’t feel like work.”

Do you have a favorite podcast?
Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett.

Most helpful business book?
How Google Works by Eric Schmidt and Jonathan Rosenberg.

What are underrated tool?
Custom GPTs.

When did you found your first business?
I was 18.

Anything you’ve always wanted to do in Malta but never did?
Camping in Gozo.

What every newcomer should get once they arrive in Malta?
A taxi app.

Do you have a favorite weekend activity?
Playing padel.

Favorite beach?
Għajn Tuffieħa.

Favourite hike?
The Fawwara Trail.