• Date and Organization: On August 26, 2024, the FreeBSD Foundation announced that Germany's Sovereign Tech Fund (STF) will invest €686,400 in the FreeBSD project. The work will start in August 2024 and continue through 2025, focusing on five key projects including zero trust builds, CI/CD automation, reducing technical debt, security controls, and SBOM improvements.
• Investment Purpose: The investment aims to drive improvements in infrastructure, security, regulatory compliance, and developer experience. It will ensure a world-class developer experience for FreeBSD while preserving and extending its security and digital sovereignty.
• Alignment with ONCD Report: The work commissioned by STF aligns with the recent summary report released by the U.S. Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD), consolidating feedback on key priorities for securing the open source software ecosystem. It helps keep FreeBSD at the forefront of improved vulnerability disclosure mechanisms and secure software foundations.
• View of STF: Fiona Krakenbürger, co-founder of STF, is pleased to support the FreeBSD project, believing it will accelerate modernization, enhance security, and improve developer experiences. The widespread use of FreeBSD means these improvements will have a broad impact.
• View of FreeBSD Foundation: Deb Goodkin, Executive Director of the FreeBSD Foundation, is grateful for the investment, which will enhance security and infrastructure. The FreeBSD project is positioning itself at the vanguard of open source security, resilience, and reliability, and this work will provide necessary visibility and trust for users.
• About STF: The Sovereign Tech Fund supports the development of open digital infrastructure in the public interest, aiming to strengthen the open source ecosystem with a focus on security, resilience, technological diversity, and the people behind the code. It is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) and hosted by the German Federal Agency for Disruptive Innovation GmbH (SPRIND).
• How to Get Involved: The FreeBSD Foundation is committed to transparent communication and can be contacted through mailto:partnerships@freebsdfo... for questions or to participate in Advisory Committees.
• About the FreeBSD Foundation: It is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that supports the FreeBSD Project and community. It accepts donations to develop features, employ software engineers, improve infrastructure, advocate for FreeBSD, and provide training. It represents the FreeBSD Project in legal affairs and is donation supported.