Proton

About Proton

Proton AG is a Swiss technology company offering a suite of privacy-focused online services. The company was founded in 2014 by scientists who met at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), including Andy Yen, who currently serves as CEO. The project was initiated in response to the 2013 Snowden leaks, with a shared vision of creating a more secure and private internet.

The company's first product, Proton Mail, was launched as a public beta on May 16, 2014, following a successful crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo that raised over $500,000 from more than 10,000 contributors. This initial funding was instrumental in the early development of the service. Over the years, Proton has expanded its product line to create an integrated ecosystem. Proton VPN was released in 2017, followed by Proton Calendar in 2019, Proton Drive in 2022, and Proton Pass in 2023. The company has also made strategic acquisitions, including the email aliasing startup SimpleLogin in 2022 and the note-taking application Standard Notes in 2024, integrating their technologies into the Proton ecosystem.

Proton operates on a freemium business model, generating revenue through paid subscriptions that offer enhanced features and storage. This model aligns the company's financial incentives with user privacy, as its primary product is security itself, rather than user data. The company does not sell ads or user data. As of June 2024, Proton transitioned to a structure where the non-profit Proton Foundation is the majority shareholder of Proton AG. This governance model is designed to ensure the company remains committed to its mission of prioritizing people over profits and protects it from hostile takeovers. The foundation is supported by a pledge of 1% of Proton's revenues and makes grants to other organizations that align with its mission of advancing online freedom.

The suite of products includes: * **Proton Mail:** An end-to-end encrypted email service. * **Proton VPN:** A secure VPN service with a no-logging policy. * **Proton Calendar:** An encrypted online calendar. * **Proton Drive:** End-to-end encrypted cloud storage with secure file sharing and document editing. * **Proton Pass:** A password manager that includes email alias generation. * **Proton Authenticator:** An open-source, end-to-end encrypted authenticator app.