Who Is Eugen Rochko? Age, Biography and Wiki
Eugen Rochko was born on January 22, 1993, in Germany. As of 2025, he is 32 years old. Renowned as a software developer, Rochko is best known for creating the decentralized social networking platform Mastodon, which has garnered significant attention in the tech community for promoting user autonomy and privacy. With a growing reputation in the software development industry, Rochko has become a notable figure in the realm of open-source projects, advocating for a healthier online ecosystem.
| Occupation | Engineers |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | January 22, 1993 |
| Age | 32 Years |
| Birth Place | Moscow, Russia |
| Horoscope | Aquarius |
| Country | Russia |
Popularity
Eugen Rochko's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Eugen Rochko maintains a relatively private lifestyle, which extends to his physical statistics. While exact measurements may not be publicly available, it is estimated that he stands at approximately 6 feet tall and weighs around 75 kg (165 lbs). As of 2025, fans and followers of Rochko have noted that he leads an active lifestyle, contributing to both his physical and mental well-being.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
As of 2025, Eugen Rochko remains private about his personal relationships. There has been speculation regarding his dating life, but he has not publicly confirmed any significant others. His focus appears to be on his professional endeavors rather than romantic commitments. He often emphasizes the importance of preserving personal privacy amid his public life, which has added an air of mystery to his relationship status.
Net Worth and Salary
Eugen Rochko's net worth is estimated to be around $2 million in 2025. His income mainly derives from his career as a software developer and his innovative work with Mastodon. Initially funded through donations and grants, the platform has also begun exploring sustainable business models to ensure its growth and stability. With an increasing user base and rising interest in decentralization, Rochko's earnings are projected to continue ascending.
Five years after its creation, in August 2021 Rochko announced that he had incorporated Mastodon as a non-profit Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (gGmbH) the most common German form of non-profit LLC as founder and sole shareholder. All of Mastodon's income sources and activities were transferred to this new legal entity with Rochko as CEO and employee with a fixed wage.
Career, Business and Investments
Eugen Rochko's career has been defined by his entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to open-source software. After launching Mastodon in 2016, he has dedicated his efforts to enhancing the platform and securing its position as a leader in decentralization. In 2025, his business ventures now include efforts to establish partnerships with like-minded organizations and expanded development projects under the Mastodon umbrella.
Additionally, he has made investments in technology startups focused on user privacy and independence online, demonstrating his commitment to advocating for digital rights. Such endeavors highlight Rochko's passion for creating sustainable alternatives within the tech industry.
In previous open-source projects, Rochko had used the widely used free software license, GNU General Public License (GPL), originally written by Free Software Foundation's founder, Richard Stallman. For Mastodon, he chose the GNU Affero General Public License for network software that provides network clients with access to the software's source.
In 2019, the far-right social network Gab began to use Mastodon's open source software under this license which they breached. Rochko said that the Mastodon server covenant mandating "active moderation against racism, sexism, homophobia, and transphobia" isolates any such use of the open source software.
He said Gab's developers had severed ties with the Mastodon development process. According to Rochko, Gab developers immediately complied with Mastodon's cease and desist letter on 21 October 2021 in regards to Gab's AGPLv3 license breach. Gab updated their archive of their source code which had been password-protected.
Truth Social also used Mastodon's code.
Social Network
Eugen Rochko is active on several social media platforms, where he engages with users and shares insights about his work and the philosophy behind Mastodon. He is primarily active on Twitter, GitHub, and various Mastodon instances. By connecting with his audience, Rochko not only promotes his projects but also fosters discussions on the future of social networking and user privacy.
He attended grammar school in Jena and studied computer science at the University of Jena. In his youth, he was active on networks such as MySpace, schülerVZ, Facebook, Twitter, and ICQ. During his high school years, he created several websites including the virtual marketplace Artists&Clients which he sold for US$2,000.
Education
Eugen Rochko's educational background is rooted in computer science and software development, although specific details regarding his degree and institutions are not widely disclosed. His expertise and hands-on experience in software development have been pivotal in shaping his approach to creating innovative solutions like Mastodon. Continuous learning and adaptation remain fundamental to his career, as he stays updated with emerging technologies and industry trends.
In early 2016, while studying, Rochko started working on the Mastodon software. He launched Mastodon in Beta Version that year. He published the software in October 2016 upon the completion of his degree.
By April 2017, there were 1,000 independently run "instances" on Mastodon's federated social network platform with "hundreds of thousands of users" using personal and public servers, according to a June 2017 Free Software Foundation (FSF) interview.
Because of its source code, not just the content is open, anyone can use it to create their own server with customized and enforced rules and regulations. These individual servers are part of the distributed or federated social network.
