The developers behind Ladybird, an emerging open-source web browser, have announced the formation of a non-profit organization to support the project’s future growth and development. According to a statement released on July 1, the Ladybird Browser Initiative will be established as a US 501(c)(3) non-profit.
Ladybird, which began as an HTML viewer for the SerenityOS hobby project, has evolved into a cross-platform browser supporting Linux, macOS, and other Unix-like systems; there are no plans to release a version for Windows yet. Ladybird is built on a new engine (LibWeb) based on web standards, without borrowing code from existing browsers.
Andreas Kling, the project’s founder and lead developer, will serve as President of the new organization. Joining him on the inaugural board of directors is Chris Wanstrath, co-founder and former CEO of GitHub, who will act as Secretary and Treasurer.
In a statement explaining the rationale behind the project, Wanstrath highlighted concerns about the current browser ecosystem’s reliance on advertising revenue. He pointed out that most major browsers are either directly or indirectly funded by Google’s advertising business, arguing that:
The web is too essential to have one primary source of funding, and too important to have that source of funding be advertising.
Chris Wanstrath
To support the initiative, Wanstrath said he has made a personal pledge of $1 million. The organization has also outlined sponsorship tiers ranging from $5,000 to $100,000, with sponsors receiving recognition on the project’s website and in public communications.
The initiative aims to transform Ladybird into a daily-use browser that is “fast, stable, support[s] web standards, and protect[s] your privacy.” Unlike traditional browser business models, Ladybird plans to fund its development entirely through sponsorships and donations from supporters who value an open web.
The non-profit structure is designed to maintain the project’s independence. The organization stated it will not pursue corporate deals or revenue outside of unrestricted donations, emphasizing that the software and its source code will remain free and open-source. This means Ladybird won’t engage in sponsorship deals that impose conditions such as setting a default search engine, which is big business ($500M) for Mozilla.
While Ladybird can already handle some web tasks, its developers acknowledge that significant work remains. The project is targeting an alpha release for early adopters in 2026, with current efforts focused on expanding the development team and improving browser functionality. If you want to see the browser in action for yourself, as little as there is to show, you can check out the Andreas Kling channel on YouTube; he does a monthly update about news and new features.
The Ladybird team reports that four full-time engineers are working on the browser, and three more will soon join. They also highlight a growing community of volunteer contributors collaborating on the project.
As Ladybird moves forward under its new non-profit structure, the team faces the challenge of building a competitive browser in a market dominated by established players. However, their commitment to independence and open-source principles may appeal to users seeking alternatives in the browser landscape.
Those interested in following Ladybird’s progress or contributing to the project can find more information on the official website, ladybird.org.
