NLnet enters FI-WARE consortium
Netherlands-based internet charity NLnet foundation is one of five new organisations to join the prestigeous FI-WARE project. FI-WARE started in 2011 with 40 million euro of funding from the European Commission and the ambitious goal to build the future internet stack. So far it has attracted contributors from over 30 European companies and institutions such as IBM, Nokia, SAP, Siemens and Telefonica. The project is expected to launch its first release in Q4 2013.
As a granting organisation with a unique background in attracting a global community of technological 'movers and shakers' in the internet and web infrastructure ecosystem with its reknowned open call, NLnet will contribute its expertise in organising the series of FI-WARE Calls for Ideas and Thematic Challenges.
"We are nearing the stage where developers at large can start to meaningfully engage with the FI-WARE technology", says Michiel Leenaars, director of Strategy at NLnet and responsible for the participation of NLnet in the project. "We are eager to make the vision of a strong open and collaboratively developed stack for the future internet a reality. Open source is a key driver for the continued growth of the internet, and FI-WARE can make very important contributions". NLnet was instrumental in introducing the internet to Europe in the eighties and these days operates as a professional charity that has been running competitive international open calls and challenges to improve the internet since 1997.
NLnet's role in this area is twofold: the first role is to liaison with open source developers and hacker community and help make the FI-WARE challenges recruit the best and brightest among them to engage with and contribute to FI-WARE. The second role is to help in establishing the quality criteria, processes and mechanisms for determining which projects can contribute the most value to FI-WARE. NLnet is a globally recognised leader in efficient funding of targetted open source and open standards development for the common good.
About NLnet Foundation
NLnet foundation is an independent organisation whose means come from donations and legacies. Its initial capital was gathered in 1997 by the sale of the first Dutch Internet Service Provider. Its private capital ensures an absolute independent position. The articles of association for the NLnet foundation state: "to promote the exchange of electronic information and all that is related or beneficial to that purpose". NLnet believes in open standards and open source. At the moment, dozens of projects and organizations are supported financially. Amongst them: research laboratory NLnet Labs, NoScript, Unhosted, Lantern Project, Calligra Suite, WebODF, AbiWord, Serval, Jitsi, 0cpm and Internet Society.
