ProtonMail is one giant step closer to protecting your privacy. The end-to-end encrypted email service, founded by a team of scientists from MIT, Harvard and CERN, has raised more than $550,000 on Indiegogo, setting a new record for a software project in the crowdfunding platform's technology section.
The startup launched out of private beta in mid-May, and is based offshore in Switzerland, where all user data is protected by strict privacy laws. The team's goal has been to protect people worldwide from mass surveillance. ProtonMail Co-founder and Harvard Ph.D. candidate Andy Yen has assured, "Even we don't have the ability to read that email. If we can't read it, we obviously can't turn it over to any government agencies."
The "NSA-proof" email service is free and doesn't require users to install any software. Messages can be accessed by computer, tablet or smartphone, and accounts are fully backwards compatible with existing email, meaning users can continue corresponding with friends who aren't using ProtonMail.
"ProtonMail lets you know with confidence that what is personal stays personal," said Co-founder Jason Stockman in a statement. "It is peace of mind created by detailed research and cutting edge encryption technology."
Given the crowdfunding campaign's success, it is peace of mind people are looking for. More than 10,000 people backed ProtonMail's Indiegogo campaign, which hit its $100,000 goal within three days of launch and raised another $100,000 just two days later.
The team did run into one problem when PayPal quietly froze their campaign, which they only discovered after receiving emails from interested contributors unable to contribute. A PayPal representative allegedly questioned whether ProtonMail had government approval to encrypt emails, but, within 24 hours, the problem was solved and the restriction was lifted.
With their newfound funding, the team, which has already grown from five to 10 people, will be able to build a stronger service "that is more resilient to attacks and outside pressure," as well as develop ProtonMail apps for Android and iOS.
"The tools for stealing data are becoming more and more sophisticated, so data protection requires constant innovation to succeed over the long term," said Yen in a statement. "That is why we will be continually improving security over the course of our beta."
