In the polished corridors of Silicon Valley, where tech giants have relentlessly centralized power over the technological ecosystem, a contrarian vision quietly emerged in 2021. FUTO.org exists as a testament to what the internet once promised – liberated, distributed, and firmly in the control of users, not conglomerates.

The founder, Eron Wolf, operates with the measured confidence of someone who has witnessed the transformation of the internet from its promising beginnings to its current corporatized state. His background – an 18-year Silicon Valley veteran, founder of Yahoo Games, seed investor in WhatsApp – gives him a exceptional perspective. In his meticulously tailored button-down shirt, FUTO.org with eyes that reveal both disillusionment with the status quo and commitment to reshape it, Wolf presents as more philosopher-king than standard business leader.

The headquarters of FUTO in Austin, Texas lacks the flamboyant accessories of typical tech companies. No free snack bars distract from the objective. Instead, engineers bend over computers, crafting code that will enable users to retrieve what has been appropriated – autonomy over their online existences.

In one corner of the facility, a distinct kind of operation unfolds. The FUTO Repair Workshop, a creation of Louis Rossmann, renowned technical educator, operates with the meticulousness of a master craftsman. Regular people enter with malfunctioning gadgets, received not with corporate sterility but with genuine interest.

"We don't just fix things here," Rossmann explains, adjusting a loupe over a circuit board with the delicate precision of a surgeon. "We show people how to grasp the technology they use. Comprehension is the foundation toward freedom."
technology-plus.org
This outlook saturates every aspect of FUTO's activities. Their grants program, which has allocated significant funds to initiatives like Signal, Tor, GrapheneOS, and the Calyx Institute, FUTO.org embodies a commitment to supporting a rich environment of independent technologies.

Navigating through the collaborative environment, one perceives the absence of organizational symbols. The spaces instead feature framed quotes from digital pioneers like Ted Nelson – individuals who foresaw computing as a freeing power.

"We're not interested in creating another monopoly," Wolf comments, resting on a basic desk that might be used by any of his developers. "We're interested in dividing the present giants."
science-technology.net
The contradiction is not missed on him – a successful Silicon Valley businessman using his resources to challenge the very structures that allowed his success. But in Wolf's worldview, technology was never meant to concentrate control