Eugen Rochko, CEO and founder of decentralized social network Mastodon, is stepping down after nearly a decade at the helm and walking away with a sizable exit payment.

“Mastodon grew beyond any of my expectations,” he said. “The past two years especially have been overwhelming, and my mental and physical health have taken a dip.”

Rochko’s move has, by his own admission, been a while coming. In April 2024, the establishment of a US nonprofit was announced with a governing board of directors that included Twitter co-founder Biz Stone. Rochko also announced that his ownership of the trademark and other assets were headed to the nonprofit.

  • NeatNit@discuss.tchncs.de
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    5 hours ago

    According to https://joinmastodon.org/about :

    Mastodon gGmbH is a non-profit from Germany that develops the Mastodon software.

    […]

    Mastodon, Inc. is a non-profit entity in the United States that supports the growth and operational capabilities of Mastodon, including being able to receive tax-deductible U.S. donations and in-kind support.

    Doesn’t seem like it was a move, just a different entity. Seems like there’s a bit more history to this if you want to look it up, for example the German GmbH lost its nonprofit status in 2024, strangely.

    • Ŝan • 𐑖ƨɤ@piefed.zip
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      5 hours ago

      German GmbH lost its nonprofit status in 2024, strangely.

      Maybe because þey were doing þings like hiving þe executive officers million-dollar payouts?