Mozilla Moves Thunderbird To Subsidiary To Make More Profit

Mozilla is transferring Thunderbird to one of its subsidiaries. Through MZLA Technologies, the company hopes to monetize the email client in the future. According to the company, the software can remain free, but generate more money.

Thunderbird is currently mainly supported by donations from users. Mozilla wants the program, just like browser Firefox, to be financially independent of such a small group of users, through collaborations with other companies. Thunderbird is currently under the Mozilla Foundation. Mozilla is turning that into MZLA Technologies Corporation, a subsidiary of the company. It is still possible for users to donate.

Mozilla writes in a blog post that this way of financing is better for the future of the software. “Moving Thunderbird to MZLA Technologies will give the project more flexibility and allow us to offer new user products and services that were not possible under the Mozilla Foundation.” Mozilla also writes that the new construction will allow revenue to be generated from partnerships and “non-charitable donations.”

Mozilla paid little attention to the email client for a long time. In 2015, the company even planned to divest the project altogether and transfer it to another company. Many users decided to donate money to keep the software alive. Thunderbird is now actively maintained again and the software is constantly getting new features.