Over the past year, the Bottles project, a popular compatibility layer for running Windows software on Linux, has hit a bit of a rough patch, with financial struggles putting a serious damper on its development progress.
It got to a point where, as we informed you back in early July, lead developer Mirko Brombin shared an honest update about the project’s tough financial situation and called on the open source community for support. Thankfully, that call didn’t go unheard—and now, it looks like those financial worries are behind them.
The project secured a grant from the NLnet Foundation through its 2025 Commons Fund. This funding is a big deal, as it’ll help speed up development on Bottles Next, the project’s ambitious effort to deliver a sleeker, more modern experience for handling Windows apps in Linux environments.
The Bottles team has made it clear they’re pumped about the opportunity.
The grant recognizes our efforts to build a better future for running Windows applications on Linux. We are incredibly thankful to the NLnet Foundation and the Commons Fund for believing in our mission.
The NLnet Foundation’s support comes via the NGI0 Commons Fund, which is backed by the European Commission’s Next Generation Internet program, along with additional funding from Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). If you’re curious, here’s a little bit about the sponsors themselves.
NLnet Foundation is a Netherlands-based nonprofit that’s been fueling open-source and privacy-focused tech for decades. They’re known for putting money behind projects that prioritize digital freedom, decentralization, and user control—think everything from privacy tools to next-gen internet infrastructure.
The NGI0 Commons Fund is where things get even more interesting. This fund is part of the Next Generation Internet (NGI) program, an ambitious effort by the European Commission to reshape the internet into a more inclusive, trustworthy, and interoperable space. Essentially, the EU wants to move away from walled gardens and corporate-controlled tech, and instead support open-source alternatives that put users first.
As you can see, those are some pretty big names—so with their backing, the Bottles project is in a great position to move forward with confidence. So, now, we’re all just looking forward to Bottles Next, the following exciting step in this project’s evolution.
For more information, see the announcement.
I do not see any info on how much they received anywhere
The official announcement doesn’t include any information about that.