Born from community, built for community
Tsuru was born in Puntarenas, Costa Rica, from a university community project during the pandemic — inspired by the Feria del Trueque Verde Manantial in Guápiles — to reconnect isolated communities through their local fairs and barter networks.
Not just a store — a movement
Tsuru — the Bribri name for cacao, Costa Rica's original currency — is a platform built from Puntarenas, born out of the TCU "Comer Orgánico" at the Universidad de Costa Rica, in partnership with the Feria del Trueque Verde Manantial in Guápiles. Today it is a free point of sale with electronic invoicing and a digital catalog for entrepreneurs, local businesses, and cooperatives — and it is growing, in the open, toward the digital fairs and barter where this story began.
- Sell and exchange products in your community
- Connect neighbors who were isolated during the pandemic
- Participate in virtual and local fairs and barter events
- Preserve and document community fair culture
Tsuru
Economía comunitaria
Our Mission
Give communities the digital tools to trade fairly and legally — starting with the most concrete thing: letting the smallest seller invoice for free — and keep their local fair and barter traditions alive.
We start with the most concrete thing: today
The vision is big — digital fairs, barter, and mutual-support networks to reconnect communities. But we chose to start with what's most useful right away: letting the smallest seller sell legally today. That's why the first things we shipped are the point of sale, the online store, and free electronic invoicing. Community comes next, built in the open, on foundations that already work.
- Point of sale and free electronic invoicing
- Your online store with WhatsApp orders
- Digital fairs and barter between neighbors
- Community mutual-support networks
Our Story
Tsuru was born in Puntarenas during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the TCU (Trabajo Comunal Universitario) "Comer Orgánico" at the Universidad de Costa Rica. We were working alongside the Feria del Trueque Verde Manantial in Guápiles, Costa Rica — a vibrant community space where people gathered to exchange products, services, and stories.
When the pandemic hit, communities were suddenly alone and disconnected. The fairs that had brought people together for years went silent. We saw neighbors who had always found each other at the market now unable to connect — and we knew technology could help bridge that gap. So we built Tsuru: a digital recreation of the fairs that existed before, designed to let people show what they have, what they sell, and what they're willing to trade.
From the beginning, we documented every step of this process — the community needs, the barter dynamics, the social bonds that make a fair more than just a market. That documentation lives in Tsuru. Today, this project continues growing as a tool for any community that wants to preserve its local economy and keep its people connected.
Our Values
Fair Trade
Fair prices and dignified conditions for all participants
Conscious Consumption
Promoting local and sustainable purchasing decisions
Local Community
Every purchase strengthens local economy and neighborhood bonds
Transparency
No hidden fees. Open and honest at every step.