About Koto Services
Ethical Cloud Services Funding a Better World
Koto Services is the commercial arm of Koto Co-op, a Finnish non-profit cooperative dedicated to developing technologies and social structures for a sustainable, post-scarcity society.
We offer privacy-respecting, ethically-operated cloud services to generate sustainable revenue that funds our mission: research, open-source development, and the Auroora community project.
Our Mission
Koto Co-op’s Vision
Develop technologies and social structures enabling sustainable, post-scarcity society.
We believe technology should serve humanity and the planet - not extract value through surveillance and manipulation. We’re building alternatives that prove mission-driven organizations can be financially sustainable while staying true to their principles.
Why Koto Services Exists
Our idealistic mission needs pragmatic funding. By commercializing our proven technical infrastructure expertise, we create a virtuous cycle:
- You get values-aligned, expert-managed cloud services
- We generate sustainable revenue
- The Mission receives funding for transformative research and community development
Every subscription doesn’t just purchase services - it invests in a more equitable future.
The Auroora Project
20% of Koto Services revenue directly funds the Auroora sustainable community project in Rääkkylä, North Karelia, Finland.
What is Auroora?
A 455m² former school building (built early 1900s) transformed into a living laboratory for sustainable community practices:
- Community Living - Shared housing for 4-5+ residents
- Permaculture & Food Forest - Sustainable food production experiments
- Workshop & Maker Space - Tools and equipment for building and prototyping
- Research Hub - Hosting researchers, activists, and developers
- Event Space - Workshops, gatherings, and educational programs
Our Goals
- Demonstrate viable sustainable community living models
- Develop open-source appropriate technology
- Create knowledge-sharing and networking infrastructure
- Support the broader cooperative and solidarity economy movement
Learn more about Auroora → (Note: URL example)
Our Values
Open Source First
All our services are built on Free and Open Source Software (FOSS). We contribute improvements upstream and share our infrastructure code. No proprietary lock-in, ever.
Privacy & Ethics
- No data mining or surveillance
- No behavioral tracking or profiling
- No selling user data (obviously)
- Transparent operations
- GDPR compliant by design
Sustainability
- Carbon-aware infrastructure choices
- Preference for renewable energy providers
- Minimal resource consumption
- Long-term thinking over quarterly profits
Transparency
- Public pricing with clear breakdowns
- Open about our costs and margins
- Honest about limitations
- Regular mission impact reporting
Community
- Solidarity pricing for aligned organizations
- Active participation in cooperative networks
- Support for social movements
- Knowledge sharing and mutual aid
How We Operate
Technical Excellence
Our team has years of production experience operating these platforms:
- Kubernetes - Production-grade container orchestration
- FluxCD - GitOps continuous deployment
- HashiCorp Vault - Secure secrets management
- Automated Operations - Monitoring, backups, security updates
We practice what we preach: our infrastructure is the same battle-tested system we use internally.
Cooperative Structure
Koto Co-op is registered in Hämeenlinna, Finland as a non-profit cooperative. Our governance prioritizes:
- Member and stakeholder input
- Democratic decision-making
- Surplus reinvestment in mission
- Long-term sustainability over growth
Team
Currently a small, dedicated team of technologists and organizers passionate about ethical technology and social transformation.
As Koto Services grows, we’ll hire from the cooperative ecosystem, prioritizing:
- Values alignment over credentials
- Diversity and inclusion
- Fair compensation
- Cooperative ownership opportunities
Who We Serve
Primary Customers
- Cooperatives - Fellow co-ops needing ethical infrastructure
- NGOs & Non-profits - Mission-driven organizations
- Activist Groups - Social movements requiring secure communication
- Educational Institutions - Schools wanting privacy-respecting tools
- Privacy-Conscious Organizations - Anyone leaving surveillance capitalism
What We’re Not
- We’re not a typical profit-maximizing business
- We’re not interested in hypergrowth or venture capital
- We’re not building products to sell the company
- We’re not perfect - but we’re committed to continuous improvement
Our Commitment
To Our Customers
- Reliable, professional service
- Honest communication
- Fair pricing
- Your data stays yours
- Long-term partnership
To Our Mission
- 20% minimum of revenue to mission funding
- Open-source contributions
- Knowledge sharing
- Supporting aligned movements
- Building alternatives to extractive capitalism
To The Planet
- Minimize environmental impact
- Support sustainable practices
- Think long-term
- Act in solidarity with climate justice movements
Financial Transparency
We believe in radical transparency about money. Here’s our revenue allocation model:
| Category | Percentage | What It Funds |
|---|---|---|
| Infrastructure | 30% | Servers, bandwidth, storage, hosting |
| Support & Maintenance | 20% | Customer support, system maintenance |
| Development | 30% | Improvements, security, new features |
| Mission Funding | 20% | Auroora, R&D, open-source contributions |
As we grow and achieve economies of scale, we’re committed to increasing the mission funding percentage.
Annual reports with detailed financials will be published for full transparency.
Get Involved
Use Our Services
The most direct way to support our mission is to become a customer. See our services →
Contribute
- Code - Our infrastructure is open-source (coming soon: GitLab links)
- Documentation - Help us improve guides and tutorials
- Translation - Make our content accessible in more languages
Partner
- Cooperative Networks - Let’s collaborate on shared infrastructure
- Resellers - Help bring our services to your community
- Researchers - Use Auroora as a research site
Spread the Word
Tell other values-aligned organizations about ethical alternatives to Big Tech.
Contact & Connect
- Email: services@kotocoop.org
- GitLab: gitlab.com/kotocoop
- Koto Co-op Website: kotocoop.org (Note: URL example)
The Bottom Line
The goal isn’t maximum profit - it’s maximum impact funded by fair business practices.
We’re proving that mission-driven organizations can sustain themselves financially while staying true to their values. Every subscription to Koto Services is a vote for a different kind of economy: one that prioritizes people, planet, and purpose over profit extraction.
Join us in building that future.