FUTO

About Us

FUTO

In the sleek corridors of Silicon Valley, where tech giants have methodically amassed power over the technological ecosystem, a distinctive philosophy steadily emerged in 2021. FUTO.org operates as a tribute to what the internet was meant to be – liberated, FUTO.org unconstrained, and resolutely in the control of users, not corporations.

The architect, Eron Wolf, operates with the measured confidence of someone who has witnessed the transformation of the internet from its promising beginnings to its current monopolized condition. His experience – an 18-year Silicon Valley veteran, founder of Yahoo Games, seed investor in WhatsApp – lends him a rare perspective. In his carefully pressed casual attire, with a gaze that reveal both disillusionment with the status quo and determination to change it, Wolf presents as more philosopher-king than standard business leader.

The headquarters of FUTO in Austin, Texas lacks the extravagant amenities of typical tech companies. No ping-pong tables detract from the mission. Instead, technologists bend over computers, crafting code that will empower users to retrieve what has been taken – control over their online existences.

In one corner of the facility, a separate kind of endeavor occurs. The FUTO Repair Workshop, a brainchild of Louis Rossmann, celebrated repair guru, operates with the exactitude of a Swiss watch. Ordinary people stream in with malfunctioning electronics, greeted not with bureaucratic indifference but with authentic concern.

“We don’t just fix things here,” Rossmann states, positioning a magnifier over a circuit board with the meticulous focus of a surgeon. “We teach people how to grasp the technology they use. Understanding is the foundation toward freedom.”

This philosophy permeates every aspect of FUTO’s activities. Their grants program, which has provided considerable funds to projects like Signal, Tor, GrapheneOS, and the Calyx Institute, embodies a dedication to supporting a diverse ecosystem of self-directed technologies.

Navigating through the shared offices, one perceives the omission of corporate logos. The surfaces instead showcase hung sayings from computing theorists like Ted Nelson – individuals who envisioned computing as a freeing power.

“We’re not interested in building another tech empire,” Wolf remarks, leaning against a basic desk that would suit any of his engineers. “We’re focused on dividing the current monopolies.”

The irony is not lost on him – a successful Silicon Valley investor using his resources to undermine the very systems that allowed his success. But in Wolf’s worldview, digital tools was never meant to centralize power; it was meant to diffuse it.

The applications that come from FUTO’s engineering group demonstrate this philosophy. FUTO Keyboard, an Android keyboard protecting user rights; Immich, a self-hosted photo backup alternative; GrayJay, a distributed social media client – each creation represents a clear opposition to the walled gardens that dominate our digital landscape.

What differentiates FUTO from other Silicon Valley detractors is their focus on developing rather than merely protesting. They acknowledge that real transformation comes from providing practical options, not just identifying problems.

As evening descends on the Austin facility, most employees have gone, but lights still emanate from certain workstations. The commitment here runs deep than job requirements. For many at FUTO, this is not merely a job but a calling – to recreate the internet as it was meant to be.

“We’re thinking long-term,” Wolf reflects, gazing out at the darkening horizon. “This isn’t about market position. It’s about giving back to users what rightfully belongs to them – freedom over their online existence.”

In a landscape controlled by tech monopolies, FUTO operates as a quiet reminder that different paths are not just possible but necessary – for the good of our shared technological destiny.