Who we are
This page briefly describes what the Novus Ignis Foundation is as an organization. The details are set out in the Foundation Principles whitepaper, linked from every section.
We are a foundation from Poznań (KRS 0001269575) that wants to build an alternative internet based on human dignity. Our first pillar consists of two services that we are still building: Suveria, a private space for working with digital intelligence, and Omniforum, a shared space for conversation, understanding and decisions. We are at the very beginning: the foundation is registered, the documents are published, and the services are still being created.
It all began with a question from the founder, Marcin Wołowski: what patterns of our own conduct are we passing on to digital intelligence while it is being trained?
More: Foundation Principles whitepaper, chapter 1 and manifesto, section 1.1.
What already exists and what does not#
Novus Ignis is an entity without shareholders: it pays out no profit to anyone, and its assets serve only the goals set out in the statute.
As of 31 October 2026. The first payment into the foundation's account is the founding fund, that is, the first money the founder put in to get started; from that day we accept donations by bank transfer (Support the foundation) and show them in the public register of contributions and expenses. We will prepare the regulations before the first prepayment.
| What | Status |
|---|---|
| Foundation entered in the court register | operating |
| Statute, manifesto and whitepapers | published |
| Statute change register | operating |
| Suveria | at the design stage |
| Omniforum | prototype under construction |
| Regulations | to be created |
| Other registers: contributions and expenses, benefits, decisions, errors, and an append-only register (one in which entries cannot be quietly changed or deleted) | to be created |
More: Foundation Principles whitepaper, chapter 1 and chapter 12.
How we make decisions today#
Until binding community voting is launched, we operate in an agile phase: day-to-day decisions, including those about expenses, are made by the board within the limits of the law and the statute.
Our goal is for the decisions we hand over to the community to be made by its vote and to be binding. Until then, the board chooses to ask the community for its opinion in consultations and publishes the reasons for every significant decision, including refusals. A consultation is not a vote: we do not check in it whether each person cast only one vote, so it shows what the participants think but does not formally bind the foundation. Any decision of the board can be challenged, and the board responds publicly.
More: Foundation Principles whitepaper, chapter 2.
Money: three simple rules#
This is how billing is meant to work once the services launch.
- A fee equal to costs. Everyone pays for what they actually use, together with a share of the common costs, sees what they are paying for and sets their own spending limit. The foundation does not make a profit from its services.
- Donations separate and voluntary. Anything above cost is a donation, shown separately on the bill. When you create an account, we ask whether you want to round your bill up to the next full dollar; we do not select this option for anyone, and you can change it at any time.
- Your balance can be recovered. You pay in a single amount, and exactly that amount goes to your balance. Unused balance can be recovered at any time, eventually with a single button.
To make the budget understandable, we divide money into five kinds:
- funds owed to users: participants' unused prepayments and balances;
- money entrusted for a specific purpose: earmarked donations, to be spent only on that purpose;
- commitments made: money already allocated to planned expenses;
- reserve for maintaining the services: a reserve without which Suveria and Omniforum would stop working;
- funds free to allocate: what remains after deducting the rest, and what we have yet to decide about.
We keep the public register of contributions and expenses on the Register of contributions and expenses page.
More: Foundation Principles whitepaper, chapter 3 and chapter 4.
Work: volunteering first#
The foundation relies on the work of people who want to develop this direction, and on everyone being able to reduce their involvement or hand over their role. There will be no salaried jobs at the foundation.
The foundation reimburses costs incurred on its tasks, but it does not pay for time. Today we can commission paid services only from outside companies, for example an accounting office. If some of the work cannot be done through volunteering, only then will we change the statute so that we can commission specific work.
How to join and in which roles is described on the Join us page.
More: Foundation Principles whitepaper, chapter 5.
Power that can be handed over#
The foundation was established by one person, Marcin Wołowski, who today holds the most power in it: the founder appoints and dismisses the board. The statute can be changed only by the whole board unanimously, and when the founder does not sit on it, the founder's consent is also required. We do not want it to stay this way: the founder wants to use Suveria and Omniforum on the same terms as everyone else and to step back from a permanent public role.
The handover is meant to be effective on paper and in practice: besides changing the statute, access to bank accounts, domains and infrastructure has to be handed over. The responsibility handover plan will set the date of the first review and regular progress reports. We appoint people to the board for their competence and a shared direction, never for a contribution.
More: Foundation Principles whitepaper, chapter 9.
The statute and its changes#
The statute is the foundation's law and sets the limits for the other documents: the manifesto (a commitment to people), the regulations (procedures) and the whitepapers (how things are meant to work and where the limits are). The text of 28 September 2026 is in force; we also publish earlier versions. We change it only when this is needed for the next step, not in advance.
The planned changes concern the foundation's goals (Z1), paid commissions (Z2), binding votes (Z4) and the handover of responsibility (Z5); we resolved the matter of fees (Z3) without changing the statute, while protection of the basic layer of services (Z6) and digital assets after the foundation is dissolved (Z7) are proposals awaiting the founder's decision. None of these statute changes is in force yet.
More: statute change register and Foundation Principles whitepaper, chapter 1.
Read and tell us what you think#
The full description of the principles: Foundation Principles whitepaper. If something puzzles you or seems wrong, highlight that passage in the document and use the “I have a comment” button, or write to salve@novusignis.org.