Examples of Institutional Entrepreneurs

Following our previous post about institutional entrepreneurs, this post provides examples of such organizations. Based on our encounters and personal experience using their services over the years, we highlight a few that stand out.

We would consider organizations like DuckDuckGo and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) to be examples of institutional entrepreneurs.

Here’s why:

• DuckDuckGo has a clear vision of reforming how privacy and personal data are handled online. Their mission is to disrupt the dominant business models of surveillance-based advertising.
• The EFF works to ensure digital rights like free expression, access to knowledge, and privacy are protected. They push for policy and legal changes to transform how technology and the internet are governed.
• Both organizations take strategic, long-term approaches. They build support through advocacy, litigation, and demonstrating the viability of alternative models rather than just reacting situationally.
• They challenge the status quo practices of powerful tech companies by creating new options and raising awareness of issues. This drives the industry to reform from within over time.
• Their goals center on systemic solutions and opening up opportunities in a more equitable digital landscape rather than short-term gains.
• Partnerships and coalition-building are key strategies to spread new ideas and policies on a wider scale within institutions.

So in summary, while not traditional businesses, DuckDuckGo and EFF exemplify the characteristics of institutional entrepreneurs through their work reforming norms, policies and technical architectures in their respective fields from the inside out through strategic, long-term approaches. They are disrupting to drive meaningful social progress.

Here is another Proton, the Switzerland-based security company:

• Proton is very much an institutional entrepreneur. Their mission is to transform how privacy and security are handled online through new protocols and services.
• They are directly challenging the dominant business models of tech giants that rely on mass surveillance and data collection/sharing. Proton offers privacy-focused alternatives.
• Their strategic approach involves building trust over time by demonstrating high security and privacy standards through open-source audits and transparency about their operations.
• As a Swiss company, they can leverage the country’s strong privacy laws and neutrality to establish themselves as a trusted provider outside the major tech ecosystems.
• ProtonMail, ProtonVPN and their other products give users practical options to take back control of their data, pushing other companies to reform practices.
• Their focus on privacy as a human right shows they want to drive systemic change in norms and policies through sustainable solutions, not just short-term gains.
• Building partnerships with advocacy groups expands the reach and adoption of their model. This helps apply longer-term pressure for progress.
• Overall, Proton displays the key traits of an institutional entrepreneur through their mission to reshape how privacy and security are delivered through strategic products and positioning themselves as an alternative standard.

So in summary, like DuckDuckGo and EFF, Proton is disrupting from within through technical offerings, advocacy and a long-term approach to transform how privacy and data protection work on an institutional level.

Do you know of other companies that demonstrate a clear example of an impactful institutional entrepreneur? Email us at kagisoonline@proton.me—we’d love to connect and explore it together.