Leadership Shift as Mastodon Moves Into a Non-Profit Model
Mastodon creator Eugen Rochko is stepping down as CEO as the decentralized social network transitions into a non-profit structure announced earlier this year. The change marks Mastodon’s largest leadership overhaul and introduces a new governance model intended to support the platform’s long-term stability.
New Board and Executive Team Take Shape
Under the restructuring, Mastodon will be governed by a board that currently includes Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, Karien Bezuidenhout, Esra’a Al Shafei, Mastodon Community Director Hannah Aubry (who is stepping down), and Felix Hlatky, who will serve as Executive Director. Other members of the leadership team include Technical Director Renaud Chaput, Head of Communications Andy Piper, and Strategy & Product Advisor Philip Schröpel. Mastodon now has 10 full-time employees.
Rochko Cites Burnout After Ten Years Leading the Platform
Rochko said he decided to step aside because Mastodon had grown beyond what he could manage alone and because he was dealing with burnout. He described how the platform had become tied to his identity and how the constant focus on its development created stress. He said stepping back would help restore balance, and suggested others should avoid dedicating all their time to work. Rochko will remain involved as an advisor and has received a one-time €1 million payment in recognition of years of below-market compensation.
Non-Profit Status Enables New Funding Paths
Hlatky noted that operating as a non-profit will allow Mastodon to pursue new funding opportunities, especially in Europe. Mastodon has already established a U.S.-based 501(c)(3), while work continues to form a Belgian AISBL to replace the German entity that lost its non-profit status. The Belgian organization will eventually serve as Mastodon’s main base, while the U.S. nonprofit will hold the trademark and other assets during the transition.
Donors Finance the Transition
To support the restructuring, Mastodon received €2.2 million from Stack Exchange founder Jeff Atwood and the Atwood family, contributions from Biz Stone, €260,000 from alternative app marketplace AltStore, €65,000 from the Global Chinese Community of Universal Digital Commons, and additional support from Craigslist founder Craig Newmark.
Focus Shifts Toward Sustainability and Industry Engagement
Before taking on his new role, Hlatky had been consulting pro bono for Mastodon and previously helped establish its German non-profit entity. He said his experience with the startup system had left him disillusioned with the venture-capital model. As Executive Director, he plans to increase conversations with industry stakeholders and the media, and sees opportunities to bring politicians, political parties, and journalists deeper into the platform. He will also oversee financial sustainability efforts, including Mastodon’s hosting and moderation business, while other leaders focus on trust and safety, infrastructure, and product development.
No Plans for Native Interoperability With Other Protocols
Mastodon does not plan to build native interoperability with decentralized networks running on the AT Protocol or nostr. Instead, it will rely on third-party projects such as Bridgy Fed and Bounce for cross-protocol communication. These systems reflect how decentralized social platforms operate on competing technical standards.
Mastodon’s Position in the Decentralized Social Landscape
Rochko said the restructuring supports Mastodon’s status as a “billionaire-proof” social network, a position he sees as increasingly relevant as other platforms remain owned by wealthy individuals. Bluesky, which uses a similar mission statement, now reports 40 million registered users, while Mastodon reports 10 million. Monthly active users on Mastodon have dropped to under 1 million following the surge that occurred after Elon Musk acquired Twitter in 2022. At that time, Mastodon rose from around 200,000 monthly active users to 2 million. Rochko said the increase showed interest in platforms that are not under the control of a single wealthy owner.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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