Big Nerd Idea¶
Open-source software and infrastructure for social good.
Big Nerd Idea is a Charleston, WV–based dual-entity organization building privacy-preserving, accessible tools for people whose physical safety depends on the quality of their software. Big Nerd Idea Foundation (forming nonprofit) publishes the open ecosystem; Big Nerd Idea, LLC delivers commercial services and devices built on it.
Why we exist¶
We believe that every person is entitled to equitable access and opportunity to technology. This includes access and opportunity to affordable, sustainable power including alternative energy sources such as solar, wind, and geothermal. This includes access and opportunity to the Internet as a resource provided for the public good. This includes access and opportunity to mobile devices, computers, iot, robotics, drones, and other technologies that enable an empowered populace to exist reasonably and fairly in a digitally controlled and dominated world.
Chat AI is broadly accessible in 2026 — most people can reach a free model on their phone. Agentic AI — software that takes action on a person's behalf — is mostly paywalled. We think that gap matters most for the people with the least margin: in recovery, in reentry, in elderly care, in transitional housing. Our 2026 commitment is to narrow it.
Every project below is built to that bar: privacy-first by architecture, open source by license, accessible by design, and honest about what is proven versus what is hypothesized.
How we work¶
| Principle | What it means |
|---|---|
| Open source | MIT/Apache for libraries; AGPL for hosted services. Source is the deliverable. |
| Privacy-first by architecture | No central servers holding user data by default. Cryptographic identity. User opt-in for everything. |
| Accessibility-first | WCAG AA on all UI. Large touch targets. Screen reader support before any feature ships. |
| Epistemic honesty | We mark what is proven, what is reviewed, what is hypothesized — to ourselves, to funders, to the people we serve. |
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