Linux Foundation Announces the Launch of Supporters of Chromium-Based Browsers

New initiative to support open development and enhance projects within the Chromium ecosystem

SAN FRANCISCO – January 9, 2025 – The Linux Foundation, the nonprofit organization enabling mass innovation through open source, today announced the launch of Supporters of Chromium-Based Bowsers. This initiative aims to fund open development and enhance projects within the Chromium ecosystem, ensuring broad support and sustainability for open source contributions that will drive technological advancement. 

"With the launch of the Supporters of Chromium-Based Browsers, we are taking another step forward in empowering the open source community," said Jim Zemlin, executive director of the Linux Foundation. "This project will provide much-needed funding and development support for open development of projects within the Chromium ecosystem."

The Supporters of Chromium-Based Browsers will provide a neutral space where industry leaders, academia, developers, and the broader open source community can work together to support projects within the Chromium ecosystem. By fostering collaboration, the initiative aims to remove barriers to innovation, expand adoption, and ensure that projects within the Chromium ecosystem receive the resources they need to thrive. The Chromium projects themselves will remain under current, existing governance structures while just the new Supporters of Chromium-Based Browsers will be housed under the Linux Foundation. 

Several leading organizations have already pledged their support for the initiative, including Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Opera. These organizations are committed to driving innovation in the Chromium ecosystem through their involvement in this initiative.

• "With the incredible support of the Linux Foundation, we believe the Supporters of Chromium-Based Browsers is an important opportunity to create a sustainable platform to support industry leaders, academia, developers, and the broader open source community in the continued development and innovation of the Chromium ecosystem,” said Parisa Tabriz, VP, Chrome. 
• “Microsoft is pleased to join this initiative which will help drive collaboration within the Chromium ecosystem. This initiative aligns with our commitment to the web platform through meaningful and positive contributions, engagement in collaborative engineering, and partnerships with the community to achieve the best outcome for everyone using the web,” said Meghan Perez, VP, Microsoft Edge.
• “As one of the major browsers contributing to the Chromium project, Opera is pleased to join the Supporters of Chromium-Based Browsers and to lend our efforts towards the development of the open-source ecosystem. We look forward to collaborating with members of the project to foster this growth and to keep building innovative and compelling products for all users,” said Krystian Kolondra, EVP Browsers, Opera.

The Supporters of Chromium-Based Browsers follow an open governance model, drawing from best practices established by other successful Linux Foundation initiatives. It prioritizes transparency, inclusivity, and community-driven development. A technical advisory committee (TAC) will be formed to guide the initiative's development, ensuring that it meets the needs of the wider Chromium community.