We’re excited to introduce Mosaic, a new initiative from the Bonfire team that empowers organisations by creating fully customised, federated digital spaces—built just for them.
What is Mosaic? #
Mosaic is a unique service where the Bonfire team collaborates with you to co-design and build a bespoke online presence that serves as a hybrid between a traditional website and a social networking platform—going well beyond merely sharing pictures or short posts. Depending on your specific needs, we will incorporate, build, or customise Bonfire extensions to facilitate all kinds of information sharing, community building, and collaboration.
With Mosaic, we build a bespoke software application that you can choose to self-host, ensuring you’re not locked into a monthly subscription with per-user costs and have complete control over your digital space.
You can visit the Mosaic website for more details, or the Bonfire website for information about the software project that makes Mosaic possible.
Why does it matter? #
Great question! In short, the way we work has changed dramatically, and our tools need to keep up. Here’s our perspective…
Yesterday, we used to work in companies. Today, we thrive in networks. #
In today’s landscape, an organisation’s success hinges not only on internal efficiency but also on how effectively it can communicate and flourish within a broader network of relationships, partnerships, and collaborations. The challenge? Most platforms were designed for what’s hopefully a bygone era—one dominated by rigid hierarchies and a focus on profit over inclusivity and cooperation, often overlooking the importance of externalities.
Enter Mosaic—a fresh approach to meet today’s needs. In a networked environment, the flow of information between teams, partners, and different layers of collaborators is a key factor for success. Seamless communication uncovers opportunities, fosters partnerships, and drives innovation. It’s no longer about working in isolation; it’s about thriving through connection. Today’s working world blurs the lines between internal staff and the public, encompassing a vibrant community of team members, collaborators, early adopters, advisors, partners, advocates, ambassadors, community members, followers, and more.
Unfortunately, most platforms just aren’t designed for this. They are stuck in the past, limiting what organisations can achieve. That’s where Mosaic is ready to ignite change. Together, we can co-create the tools necessary to thrive in a networked world—flexible, federated, and designed to help communities, organisations, collectives, and consortia collaborate and grow in meaningful, unexpected, and interconnected ways.
Why should you care about the fediverse? #
The fediverse is a growing network of independent yet interconnected digital spaces, which can empower organisations in ways Big Tech cannot. It enables you to own your data, control your algorithms, and connect directly with your community—without the unpredictability of profit-driven platforms.
Unlike proprietary apps like Instagram and Twitter, the fediverse prioritises trust and safety. Organisations can build meaningful connections, collaborate freely, and maintain control over their tools and online spaces. Thanks to standardised protocols like ActivityPub, users can easily export their data and migrate between instances, ensuring you’re never locked in.
In the fediverse, you have options. You can join a vast network with millions of users or create an island network focused on your community's needs. Whether you integrate into the global network or build your own archipelago, the fediverse offers a refreshing alternative to the dystopic enshitification of Big Tech.
Build once, benefit for ever #
Bonfire’s framework is open source under the AGPL 3.0 license, ensuring that any extension or fork remains open and available to all. This has two important benefits:
-
Every solution built for one organisation is available for anyone to use, improve, or adapt. Whether you’re building a community space, knowledge-sharing platform, or anything else, the tools we create together will contribute to the commons and benefit the broader ecosystem. As organisations work with us, they are not only solving their own challenges but also contributing to the success of others in the fediverse.
-
Everyone benefits from contributions made by others, so you can incorporate any new features and improvements. This creates a virtuous cycle of innovation and collaboration. We hope this approach encourages like-minded organisations to cooperate, co-design and co-fund features, and work together for collective impact.
With Mosaic, you’re not just solving your own problems—you’re investing in an ecosystem where everyone wins. You’re helping build a digital commons that empowers both your organisation and others to thrive in an increasingly networked world.
A real-world example #
Our first Mosaic project is a great example of the possibilities it offers: an independent cinema archive needed a platform where visitors could explore their extensive film catalog and related information, while community members could contribute to further enrich the archive. With Mosaic, we’re building a federated digital space where members can for example add annotations to specific sections of videos, and visitors can search the collection, follow topics, watch films, and engage with community activities. This transforms it from a static archive into a living, evolving space where users actively contribute to preserving independent cinema, enriching the collection over time.
All annotations and posts will be federated via the ActivityPub protocol, meaning users on platforms like Mastodon can discover and engage with the archive. And by building a Bonfire extension that integrates with the open-source software already used for film metadata and video hosting , we’re extending their toolset with social functionality tailored to their needs—without requiring them to switch platforms or manually copy information. This project exemplifies how Mosaic empowers organisations to build collaborative, networked digital spaces that foster community and go far beyond simple microblogging.
Ready to build with us? #
If Mosaic sounds like a solution worth exploring—or if you’re unsure and want to discuss your options—we’d love to chat! Let’s schedule a call to discuss your specific needs and explore how we can collaborate to create the ideal federated digital space for your community or organisation.
Our team is balancing core development of the Bonfire framework alongside Mosaic projects, so availability is limited. Reach out soon to secure a spot, and let’s start building something amazing together!
