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Qwant and Ecosia debut Staan, a European search index that aims to take on BigTech
European search engines Qwant and Ecosia have launched Staan, a privacy-focused search index aiming to compete with Google and Bing, targeting significant market share in France and Germany. The venture responds to the urgent need for a European tech stack independent of U.S. influence, leveraging AI features for enhanced search capabilities while focusing on cost-effectiveness and privacy compliance.
Key points
- Qwant and Ecosia developed Staan to offer a cheaper, privacy-focused alternative to major search engines.
- The partnership began through a joint venture called European Search Perspective (EUSP).
- Qwant aims to serve 50% of French search queries and Ecosia 33% of German queries by year-end 2023.
- Staan will support AI summaries and is targeted at chatbot integrations for in-app search functionality.
- EUSP addresses concerns over Europe's reliance on U.S. tech, especially in light of potential political influences.
- Christian Kroll, CEO of Ecosia, emphasized the lower costs and enhanced privacy features of the index compared to competitors.
Why it matters
- The launch of Staan highlights Europe's strategy to reduce dependency on American digital infrastructure, a concern that has only grown since recent political developments.
- This development aligns with wider trends in the IT landscape, where privacy and data sovereignty are increasingly prioritized in tech policies.
- EUSP's initiative reflects a growing movement within Europe to create independent technology ecosystems, exemplified by similar efforts like Proton.
Staan represents a significant step toward European digital sovereignty, providing an alternative to Big Tech through privacy and cost-effective search solutions, while leveraging AI advancements for better user experiences.