Frequently Asked Questions

Stenvo is a field intelligence platform. Anyone with a question can sponsor a Query and fund it. Local people already on the ground submit Reports from the field. Every Report is independently AI-screened before the findings reach you.

Anyone who needs to know what is actually happening somewhere in the world — and cannot get there themselves. Analysts, journalists, researchers, NGOs, and curious individuals all use Stenvo. On the other side, anyone with local knowledge — drivers, farmers, market vendors, residents — can earn by filing Reports.

Search engines and news sites show you what has already been published — information that has passed through an editor, a platform algorithm, and a recommendation engine before reaching you. Stenvo gives you access to fresh, unfiltered field observations collected specifically in response to your question.

Create an account, click Sponsor a Query, write your question, set a budget and deadline, and publish. Our AI reviews the draft for any compliance issues before it goes live. The whole process takes about five minutes.

You set your own budget. Higher budgets attract more Reporters and typically produce more comprehensive findings. Stenvo charges a 20% platform fee on the total funded amount. We recommend starting with a budget that reflects the effort you are asking Reporters to make — a simple observation at a nearby market is different from a multi-location count over several hours.

Yes. Any registered user can become a Co-Sponsor on your Query, contributing additional funds. Co-funding increases the payout pool, which attracts more Reporters and typically improves coverage. If someone sponsors a similar Query, the platform suggests they co-fund yours instead of creating a duplicate.

Every Report passes through the Mosaic Protocol — our two-layer AI screening system. Layer 1 scores each Report individually for coherence, completeness, and veracity signals. Layer 2 compares all Reports against each other to detect inconsistencies and synthesize what was genuinely observed. Each Report carries a Confidence Score from 0 to 100.

When a Query completes, the full Reports and confidence-scored findings are visible to you as the Sponsor and to all Co-Sponsors who co-funded it. Stenvo may choose to feature selected findings on the public platform — this is at the platform's editorial discretion, not automatic. Non-Co-Sponsors on the public site see a summary only.

During the review period, Sponsors and Co-Sponsors review all submissions and cast one vote each for the report they believe best answers the query. The Sponsor's vote carries a weight of 2 — reflecting that they defined the question and funded it. Each Co-Sponsor's vote carries a weight of 1. If there is a tie after voting, the Mosaic confidence score breaks the tie automatically. Sponsors and Co-Sponsors cannot submit reports on queries they have funded.

When you sponsor a Query you choose the payout structure: one winner takes the full amount, the top three split it equally, or all accepted Reporters share it. The split is equal among winners. The total payout is your funded amount minus the 20% platform fee, distributed accordingly.

Browse open Queries, claim one that matches your location and availability, submit your Report before the deadline, and wait for the review period to close. If your Report is selected as a winner, you receive your share of the Query payout directly to your bank account via Stripe.

No. A smartphone is sufficient. You can submit written field notes, photos, short videos, or voice notes in any language. You do not need to be a journalist. You need to be in the right place and observe carefully.

Payouts vary by Query budget and the payout structure the Sponsor chose. A $150 Query paying three winners equally pays $40.00 per winner after the platform fee. Higher-budget Queries pay proportionally more. You always see the payout amount before you claim a Query — there are no surprises.

No. There will never be a paid Reporter tier on Stenvo. Every Reporter competes on equal terms. Your standing is determined entirely by the quality and accuracy of your submissions — not by any subscription or payment. This is a founding principle of the platform and will not change.

Yes. Sponsors never see which Reporter filed which Report. Your name is never attached to your Report on the public platform. Your identity is always protected.

Any language. Submit your voice note or field notes in Bahasa, Mandarin, Tamil, Arabic, Tagalog — any language you are comfortable with. The platform transcribes and translates automatically. The original is always preserved alongside the translation.

Queries that target private individuals, solicit confidential or non-public information, request surveillance of people, or involve regulated industries in ways that could constitute market manipulation are not permitted. Our Prism Protocol screens every Query before it goes live and flags anything that raises legal or ethical concerns.

The Mosaic Protocol is specifically designed to detect coordinated fake submissions through image hashing, text similarity detection, and cross-Report consistency analysis. Flagged Reports are excluded from the consensus scoring. If you still have concerns after review, you can use the Challenge mechanic to fund a counter-Query.

When you fund a Query, payment is processed by Stripe, a PCI-compliant payment provider — your card details are handled by Stripe and are never stored on Stenvo's servers. Your payment is collected at funding and released to Reporters only after the Query completes its review. If a Query doesn't attract enough Reports to reach a Finding by its deadline, you're automatically refunded.

Stenvo holds the platform license to all submitted Reports. This allows us to verify, process, display, and license the findings as a platform. Reporters are paid for their submissions through the Query payout — this is the full and complete compensation for their contribution. Co-Sponsors receive a usage license for the findings they funded.