The people should own the town square (Mastodon Blog)

The Mastodon project has announced
that founder Eugen Rochko will be transferring 'key Mastodon
ecosystem and platform components (including name and copyrights,
among other assets)' to a new non-profit organization:

Practically Mastodon will remain headquartered in and operate from
Europe primarily. We will continue day-to-day operations through the
Mastodon GmbH for-profit entity, which will become wholly owned by the
new European not-for-profit entity. The Mastodon GmbH entity
automatically became a for-profit as a result of its charitable status
being stripped
away in Germany. The existing US-based non-profit entity, the
501(c)(3), will continue to function as a fundraising hub.

We are in the process of a phased transition. First we are
establishing a new legal home for Mastodon and transferring ownership
and stewardship. We are taking the time to select the appropriate
jurisdiction and structure in Europe. Then we will determine which
other (subsidiary) legal structures are needed to support operations
and sustainability.

Rochko has, naturally, also posted
about the transition on Mastodon.social.