No. FreeWP aspires to be one among several new brands that utilize a version of WordPress overseen by the community.

FreeWP plans to raise capital in three stages: an Institutional Investor SAFE Round, Reg CF (Crowdfunding), and Reg A+ (Mini IPO). This approach aims to balance investor involvement, public ownership, and employee equity, all while upholding the company’s commitment to empowering workers and promoting decentralized governance. See /_susHB.

FreeWP will operate through three entities: FreeWP Digital: Media production and content creation. FreeWP Ventures: Investment and accelerator arm supporting mission-aligned startups. FreeWP Trust: Provides community support and funding for contributors. See /_suowx.

FreeWP brands will transition to worker-owned cooperative models where employees will hold shares and participate in democratic governance. Elected representatives will make critical decisions through a board of directors.

At the start, FreeWP’s ownership is divided as follows: Founder: 30%, with up to 25% of this gradually shed to attract top talent. Institutional Investors: 20%, secured through a SAFE round with the best terms and discounts, with a 1.5% total cap. Public (Crowdfunding): 10%, offered through the Reg CF round at a slightly higher price than institutional investors but still discounted. Workers: 40%, initially controlled by the founder but transitioning to a democratically elected worker representative. Over time, control shifts as the founder’s ownership decreases, and the workers gain more influence through their 40% stake, ensuring FreeWP’s commitment to worker ownership and decentralized governance.

The FreeWP board will start with 3 members and grow to 9-11 in 10 years. Initially, it includes: Founder Appointments: 2 seats, including chairperson. Investor Appointments: 1 seat for institutional investors. As FreeWP evolves, board seats will adjust based on ownership shares. Control will be based on ownership categories (founders, workers, investors), with elections in each category to select representatives. This ensures governance aligns with equity changes, allowing stakeholders proportional input in decision-making. By the decade's end, the board will include founders, workers (40% equity), and investors, promoting democratic governance and empowering workers as the company grows.

We embrace it wholeheartedly! It truly represents one of our core values. We hope that our governance model and structure inspire other businesses in the community to align with our broader mission, even as we compete for dollars and attention.