Francesco Siddi

CEO blender (npub1neh…9dsq), GM and producer @BlenderStudio_

Last Notes

2026-05-01 17:10:06 UTC

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Besides a few very kind, concerned and constructive takes, it’s been concerning to see so many antisocial reactions to the original announcement. It looks like social media is tearing us apart. I hope more people consider getting involved and supporting the Blender project in the future, feeling confident that their contribution will matter. 8/8

2026-05-01 17:10:00 UTC

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In the case of the Development Fund, showing the logo (at mutual discretion) or providing a point of contact in the organization can be considered a form or relationship. This is why we chose to shift Anthropic’s Development Fund membership into a donation, which requires no agreement or formal relationship. The money still goes towards Blender’s mission, unconditionally. 7/8

2026-05-01 17:09:55 UTC

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We all have different thresholds and value systems when it comes to judging corporations. In my personal view, Anthropic is no different than other large corporations that are part of the Development Fund. But I do know, and respect, that for many it’s not the same. 6/8

2026-05-01 17:09:49 UTC

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On the ethical concerns. Corporations that provide funding to Blender choose to support Blender’s mission (directly or indirectly). However, Blender does not need to take any action towards those companies, or support their goals in any way. Blender has historically focused on achieving its mission, and not on obstructing or impeding other’s goals, and this is an important part of its identity and one of the reasons for its diverse user base. 5/8

2026-05-01 17:09:36 UTC

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Corporate control is also balanced by individuals. By checking Blender Foundation’s annual reports, you can see that there is an effort to match the amounts, and not depend on a single large supporter. 4/8

2026-05-01 17:09:28 UTC

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Dev Fund membership agreement templates are public and can be checked. There is no influence or strings attached to the development process. Ultimately, this comes down to the Blender Foundation track record of sticking to its mission, goals, and community focus. I’m proud of that track record. 3/8

2026-05-01 17:09:21 UTC

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When a major Dev Fund membership is announced, it usually raises two types of concerns: corporate control, and ethical alignment. 2/8

2026-05-01 17:09:00 UTC

Blender has been accepting corporate donations for years. I’ve personally managed most of the relationships and agreements that resulted in various announcements (Netflix Animation Studio, Wacom, Pico, AWS, Apple, and many more). Together with the growing amount of individual donations and small and medium corporations, this funding has allowed the project to thrive and keep growing. 1/8

2026-04-29 18:31:57 UTC

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the initial tone definitely did not help, but I see that there is a much deeper issue here.

2026-04-28 17:47:24 UTC

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I try to keep messaging consistent and not cater to specific audiences. That would be misleading. Criticizing Anthropic is not going to help, what we actually do with the funding matters.