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Mastodon CEO Steps Down with €1M Payout and a Deep Sigh

Mastodon transitions to nonprofit governance with new leadership and €1 million payment to Rochko, aiming for financial sustainability and broader mission expansion.

  • On Tuesday, Eugen Rochko resigned as Mastodon CEO and transferred his ownership of the trademark and other assets to the Mastodon nonprofit, remaining involved in an advisory role.
  • Amid concerns about control by a single wealthy individual, Rochko said he was stepping back because of burnout and the need for guardrails, announced earlier this year.
  • The new board will govern Mastodon and names Felix Hlatky as Executive Director, with Biz Stone, Karien Bezuidenhout, Esra'a Al Shafei, and Hannah Aubry, while Renaud Chaput, Andy Piper, and Philip Schröpel join the leadership team.
  • Funding-first: EUR 2.2 million from Jeff Atwood and the Atwood family has financed hires in engineering, marketing, operations, and product as Mastodon operates under a U.S. 501 nonprofit while planning a Belgian AISBL.
  • Looking at scale: Mastodon has 10 million registered users but under 1 million monthly actives, and the restructure aims to boost sustainability with hosting and moderation services and expand beyond 10 full-time employees.
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The German founder and head of the short news service Mastodon, Eugen Rochko, has announced his withdrawal.

·Germany
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TechCrunch broke the news in United States on Tuesday, November 18, 2025.
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