Qwant and Ecosia Launch Staan: A European Search Index for Privacy and Independence
Introducing Staan: Europe’s Answer to Big Tech Search Engines
In a significant move for European digital sovereignty, Qwant and Ecosia have partnered to launch Staan, a new European search index designed to challenge the dominance of Google and Bing. This initiative aims to provide a more affordable, privacy-oriented alternative for users and businesses across the continent.
What is Staan?
Staan is the product of a joint venture between Qwant, a French search engine known for its privacy-first approach, and Ecosia, the German non-profit search engine that plants trees with its revenues. Together, they formed the European Search Perspective (EUSP) to build Staan, an independent search index specifically tailored for the European market.
Why Does Europe Need Its Own Search Index?
Most of Europe’s search, cloud, and AI infrastructures currently rely on American Big Tech. This dependence raises concerns about privacy, cost, and exposure to shifting political or commercial agendas outside of Europe. Staan is designed to address these challenges by:
- Reducing reliance on U.S. and Chinese technology stacks
- Offering a more privacy-focused search experience, in line with European data protection laws
- Providing a cost-effective solution for businesses and AI applications
Key Features and Adoption Goals
Staan is already live, powering some of Qwant’s search features, including AI-generated summaries. Ecosia plans to introduce similar AI capabilities soon. The EUSP aims for Staan to handle approximately 50% of search queries in France and 33% in Germany by the end of the year.
Beyond traditional search, EUSP is actively working with companies to integrate Staan’s index into web and app search functionalities. A major focus is enabling European AI chatbots and digital assistants to utilize Staan for knowledge grounding at a fraction of the cost of U.S.-based solutions.
Benefits for Businesses and AI Developers
- Lower Costs: Staan offers search and AI integration features at up to one-tenth the price of leading competitors.
- Enhanced Privacy: Leveraging European privacy regulations, the index provides a safer environment for user data.
- Independence: Businesses can reduce their exposure to international policy changes affecting critical digital infrastructure.
The Push for a European Tech Stack
Staan is part of a broader movement among European technology companies, such as Proton, to build robust, privacy-first alternatives to American and Chinese platforms. The urgency for these efforts has grown in light of recent political developments, highlighting the need for local control over digital infrastructure.
Looking Ahead
With Staan, Europe takes a bold step toward technological independence, stronger privacy protections, and more competitive digital markets. As adoption grows, both consumers and businesses stand to benefit from greater choice and control in the online search and AI ecosystem.
