TL;DR: Ecosia and Qwant are building their own search index, breaking free from Google and Bing. For founders, it’s a lesson: relying on tech giants is risky—own your platform whenever possible.
Search is broken. Google dominates, and even so-called “alternative” search engines rely on Google or Bing’s index.
But now, Ecosia and Qwant are making a bold move—they’re building their own search index, the European Search Perspective (EUSP).
It’s an ambitious project, but the reasoning is simple: reliance on Big Tech comes with risks.
Founders have learned this the hard way—Twitter API restrictions crushed entire businesses, Apple’s App Store policies continue to strangle developers, and Google’s constant algorithm updates can tank a company overnight.
Ecosia and Qwant’s move isn’t just about search—it’s about independence. And if they can break free from Google, maybe it’s time for founders to rethink their own reliance on big platforms.
Why Build a New Search Index?
Building a search index from scratch is expensive, complex, and time-consuming. So why do it? Because control matters.
Currently, most search engines—including privacy-focused ones like DuckDuckGo—don’t actually run their own index. Instead, they license results from Google or Bing, meaning they’re ultimately dependent on these companies.
Ecosia and Qwant want to change that. Their new index will:
- Be privacy-first – No user tracking or profiling.
- Reduce Europe’s dependency on US tech giants – Greater control over digital infrastructure.
- Be open for use by others – Offering an alternative for companies that need search data.
They’re starting with French and German results in 2025, expanding from there.
What’s happening in search mirrors a bigger problem: over-reliance on dominant platforms is dangerous.
Ecosia and Qwant’s project is a blueprint for breaking free—a reminder that founders need to control their own foundations.
Lessons for Founders: Build for Independence
- Own Your Distribution
- If your business depends on Google, Twitter, or Facebook, you’re vulnerable.
- Build an email list, invest in SEO, or create direct customer relationships.
- Diversify Revenue Streams
- A single point of failure (one ad network, one social platform) is a bad strategy.
- SaaS founders, for example, should consider multiple acquisition channels.
- Control Your Tech Stack
- Relying on APIs or third-party platforms? If they change their terms, your business could collapse.
- Where possible, host your own tools and minimize reliance on external services.
Ecosia and Qwant are betting big on digital sovereignty. Whether or not their index succeeds, the bigger message is clear: founders who control their own ecosystem will always be safer than those who rely on Big Tech’s goodwill.
