Successful tech companies follow a typical pattern: from product to platform where other startups build businesses on top of theirs. To spur that, they often launch a fund. In this case, someone else is launching a fund to help fast-growing social media site Bluesky, which now claims 25 million users.
On Wednesday open source and Python big wig Peter Wang announced a new fund, with an initial $1 million war chest to advance Bluesky’s underlying tech. Bluesky is the decentralized social app from Jack Dorsey (though Dorsey left the Bluesky board in May). It launched five years ago and has really taken off as an alternative to Elon Musk’s X.
The fund will offer grants to those building on Bluesky’s open source AT Protocol. It’s looking for tech like data privacy controls particularly for AI usage, as well as apps for parents/children and local communities.
Correction: Bluesky says that this fund is independent of the company. This story has been updated reflect that information.
