Unprecedented contribution from the European Commission to the future internet
Fuel your project with NGI Zero Commons Fund :
European funding for open source software and open models with social impact, open to all
Paris, France - January 10, 2024 – OW2, the international community for professional open source software, introduces NGI Zero Commons Fund (NGI0 Commons), a new project from the Horizon Europe Next Generation Internet initiative.
Since 2018, NGI provides support through a cascade funding mechanism to projects from researchers, startups, SMEs, communities and independent developers, to help build the Internet that responds to people’s fundamental needs, including trust, security, and inclusion. NGI follows a bottom-up approach, supporting the builders directly by operating at the fine-grained scale of human talent, and opening the calls to individuals.
NGI0 Commons Fund is NGI’s vehicle for the next 3 years: it aims at funding the future of a European internet based on technology commons, through the development of shared building blocks that enable people to control their digital lives, respect their privacy, and create a fair, innovative economy. NGI0 vision is to help restore public ownership of the internet, making it healthier and more open – both as infrastructure and as ecosystem.
The program is steered by NLnet, and includes many European foundations (OW2 for the community, FSFE, the Internet Society and the Association for Progressive Communications for free and neutral projects, Open Forum Europe for policy and society, the Free Silicon Foundation for open hardware, APELL for the business world), as well as committed open source players (such as NixOS, Tolerant Networks, Radically Open Security, Commons Caretakers, Center for the Cultivation of Technology, and academics (HAN Arnhem University).
The project will receive a grant of EUR 27 million from the European Commission, 80% of it being redistributed across continuous open calls, with no less than 300 projects expected to be funded. The first open call starts on February 1st, 2024, and applying is as simple as filling a form!
An introduction of NGI0 Commons Fund was given at Open Source Experience in Paris, on December 7, 2023 by Pierre-Yves Gibello, OW2 CEO. See the slides (English) or the video (French).
About NGI
The Next Generation Internet (NGI) is a European Commission initiative that aims to shape the development and evolution of the Internet into the Internet of Trust according to the vision of the European Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles. An open Internet that responds to people’s fundamental needs, including trust, security, and inclusion, while reflecting the values and the norms all citizens enjoy in Europe. Visit https://www.ngi.eu/.
About NLnet
NLnet foundation financially supports organizations and people who contribute to an open information society, since 1997. Visit https://nlnet.nl/.
Contact: Tessel Renzenbrink – tessel@nlnet.nl
About OW2
OW2 is an independent, non-profit association dedicated to promoting professional open source software and to fostering a vibrant community and business ecosystem. OW2 federates 50+ organizations and 2500+ IT professionals worldwide, and hosts 50+ technology Projects. Visit https://www.ow2.org.
Contact : Catherine Nuel - catherine.nuel@ow2.org