Nuked 
Hello everyone! Today, we’ve got a fascinating story about a quirky idea involving everyone’s favorite web browser, Chrome, and a nonprofit search engine named Ecosia.
Christian Kroll, CEO of Ecosia, suggested that his nonprofit could manage Chrome for ten years instead of Google selling it to rivals. Sounds a bit wild, right? But it’s a clever pitch that caught attention. Ecosia wants to turn Chrome into a foundation, using the platform to back climate projects instead of just being a regular search engine.
The proposal was sent to Google and a U.S. judge, aiming to influence a major antitrust case. The judge, Amit Mehta, is expected to decide soon on whether Google’s monopoly will be broken up, which could force Google to sell Chrome. Since Google hasn’t agreed, companies like OpenAI and Perplexity have shown interest in buying Chrome if given the chance. Perplexity even offered $34.5 billion, but many think that’s too low.
Meanwhile, Ecosia predicts Chrome could be worth a trillion dollars in the next decade. Kroll suggests that managing Chrome could help fund millions for climate efforts, including protecting rainforests and investing in green tech. Ecosia’s idea is to keep 40% of revenue—around $400 billion—and give the rest to Google, which would keep its ownership and default status.
Ecosia currently partners with Google for search and even offers its own Chromium-based browser. Kroll believes managing Chrome isn’t outlandish since his team is experienced in turning impossible ideas into reality. He hopes that with judicial support, big tech might rethink traditional sell-offs and consider this innovative approach.
This move blends tech, environmental activism, and a bit of audacity—kind of like a startup’s dream. Whether it will work or just inspire future bold plans remains to be seen.
