I'm currently working on integrating multi-participants video-conferencing in the Movim platform using the NLNet funding system https://nlnet.nl/project/Movim-E2EE-video/
Its super easy to apply and the people are super nice to work with. Also try to find a company that would be interested to implement those kind of features for 5-50K€, they'll laugh at you.
For a tiny bit of "public funding" you get many exciting features on many different open-source projects and initiatives that millions of users are using daily.$
Also NLNet is an independant non-profit organization. No "lazy-european-bureaucrats" there.
> Wikipedia: The NLnet Foundation supports organizations and people that contribute to an open information society. It was influential in spreading the Internet throughout Europe in the 1980s. In 1997, the foundation sold off its commercial networking operations to UUNET (now part of Verizon), resulting in an endowment with which it makes grants.
I applied to NGI Zero in December 2024, because it was promoted on European Union websites, and my application was rejected by the NLnet Foundation in April 2025.
After FOUR MONTHS instead of one as supposed.
Without a decent explanation.
This is not the first time I have applied for a European grant. But got nothing till now.
Once I applied for another Cascade Funding Call, and I mentor was assigned to me. It was a lady from a non-European country who was ignorant about popular innovation projects. And she was supposed to assist me and even judge my project.
I, a European citizen without a job, should have been assisted by an ignorant non-European person paid with European funds. It was devastating for me.
Later, I also applied to be a mentor for the same program, but my application was rejected.
So, I can't help but think that corruption is real and rampant in European offices.
Even tho I demonstrated many times my skills, even winning some important competitions, I'm long-term unemployed.
I've been registered on EURES, the European Union job portal, for more than ten years. As well as on the job portal of my country of residence. No one contacted me to offer me a job. EVER.
That said, after seeing how disgusting the current European Union is, I have no choice but to support any movement in favor of dismantling it. I hope it happens as soon as possible.
> I applied to NGI Zero in December 2024, because it was promoted on European Union websites, and my application was rejected by the NLnet Foundation in April 2025.
> After FOUR MONTHS instead of one as supposed. Without a decent explanation.
Same for me! I spent lots time to make a presentation for my project. It was my first attempt. And if you look to the awarded projects, most of them are poor, uninteresting (for me at least) or have no link to project website. Seems unprofessional. I'm glad is not only my opinion.
Anyway, my project will continue without their support and I hope to release it open-source soon. Fortunately, for now I can sustain it by myself (from my time/money).
> I applied to NGI Zero in December 2024, because it was promoted on European Union websites, and my application was rejected by the NLnet Foundation in April 2025.
ahaha!
The fox who longed for grapes, beholds with pain
The tempting clusters were too high to gain;
Grieved in his heart he forced a careless smile,
And cried, 'They’re sour and hardly worth my while.'
So the fox deserves to starve to death, and the grapes, even tho they belong to all citizens, have to be reserved for a small group of privileged friends? Is this your opinion?
This is beyond ridiculousness.
An AI agent could make a far better job than many well-paid but extremely lazy european bureaurats.
Let alone the corruption, if they choose their friend projects.
I'm pro an unite Europe but current European Union is beyond shame.