Cover Nicholas Worley with his three sons Hunter, Kaleb and Kai (Photo: Zed Leets / Tatler Hong Kong)
Nicholas Worley with his three sons Hunter, Kaleb and Kai (Photo: Zed Leets / Tatler Hong Kong)
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Inalife is a digital legacy platform that can bring families closer by helping members connect with each other, share lasting memories and send time-delayed messages to future generations
In a world where time moves swiftly and people and events are forgotten, Nicholas Worley, founder and CEO of Inalife, is challenging the passage of time. Through his app, Inalife, the father of three is on a mission to safeguard family legacies by transforming fading memories and preserving family heritage for generations to come.
Inalife allows users to add memories to their profiles in the forms of video clips, photos, audio files and documents, which can then be viewed by family members in both the present and the future.
“When you think about your grandparents, how much do you actually know about them?,” Worley asks. “What do you know about your great-great-grandmother aside from a few photos or historical documents? After [two of my] grandparents passed away, I dreamt that I saw them again when they were my age—16 at the time. I realised I didn’t know anything about them or what they sounded like when they were young, and that made me incredibly sad.”
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Above Nicholas Worley is focused on creating a digital legacy (Photo: Zed Leets/Tatler Hong Kong)
Nicholas Worley is focused on creating a digital legacy (Photo: Zed Leets/Tatler Hong Kong)
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After he became a father, the British Colombian entrepreneur embarked on a mission to preserve his own family memories. “When my eldest son Hunter was born, it became extremely important to me to begin documenting stories to share with him when he was older. I also wanted to make sure that he, his brothers and their descendants would be remembered far into the future and not just forgotten as someone’s ancestor,” he says. Unable to find anything on the market that digitally preserved legacies, Worley left a 15-year career in public relations to fully focus on developing Inalife.
The platform allows users to organise precious family photos while also creating detailed family trees that trace their lineage and connections. They can also create sub-accounts for family members who have passed away, or for children who are too young to have an account. Memories can be added to their profile and access transferred to them when they are older. The app’s messaging system also allows time-delayed messages, which can be sent to loved ones in the future.
“I can record a video message with my two-year-old which he can receive when he turns 40. My parents have shared time-delayed messages with my own children too, so when they are older, they’ll receive videos from them as a gift. I may even have messages from my parents which they’ve planned out,” he says.
Inalife recently introduced a new feature which allows family members to post medical histories and other essential health data— such as details of conditions like cancer, diabetes or allergies—they wish to communicate. By sharing this information, Worley hopes families will take appropriate precautions or seek early medical intervention.
Worley is also streamlining the intricate process associated with managing ownership of social media profiles and user data following an individual’s passing. While some platforms allow family members to retain access, others require specific documentation or proof of relationship before they allow the account to be transferred. “Imagine losing a loved one and then losing their photos, videos, audio files and memories. How would that make you feel?” he asks. Inalife will allow those who lose loved ones to hold onto their digital memories for life.
In September, Inalife launched its mobile app for IOS and Android, furthering Worley’s mission to bring families closer together. Today, his greatest hope is that the world takes digital legacies more seriously. “I hope digital legacies rise to the same level of importance as financial, insurance or legal planning for families,” he says. “When I pass away, I’d like to know that some part of me will be able to be seen by my descendants 100 years from now.”
As Content Director at Tatler Hong Kong, Tara shapes the brand's editorial vision across social, digital and print. She also drives the planning and execution of Tatler's flagship IPs. In her dual role as Head of VIP, she reports on Asia's most influential figures — from CEOs and leaders across business, style and the arts — curates star-studded events, and builds the relationships and communities that define the brand. Born and raised in the Middle East, she honed her craft in Dubai, crafting communication strategies for luxury brands across the Gulf. Follow her on Instagram @tarasobti.
