Maybe the support of projects like Nilch Search would also come to mind

Proton Search Index as in an search index build and hosted on European servers with privacy focus. Maybe Proton can join Ecosia(German) and Qwant(French) in their mission to build a European index and build a search engine around it, that would be great.

Ecosia works on a European search index, maybe proton can join in

Proton Search, A Privacy Focused, Encrypted Search Engine with Lumo AI Search, Free Search Engine but Lumo Subscription benefits may apply to Lumo AI Search, and when Lumo is used in Proton Search it uses the search results instead, and for Weather Information Apples WeatherKit could work since its Privacy Focused. About Lumo Subscription benefits, if you have the Lumo subscription on your proton account you can Ask follow-up questions, Compare sources, and access to research mode.

Subject: Strategic Recommendations for Proton Ecosystem Expansion & Privacy Standards

Background
I am a long-time Proton user who values privacy as a core European principle. I use Proton Mail, Drive, Docs, VPN, and other of your services. My feedback is based on strategic observations about Proton's positioning in the privacy market.

Key Recommendations
1. Privacy Search Engine Opportunity
• No major European privacy-first search engine exists at scale
• Current options (DuckDuckGo, Startpage, Brave) have limitations:
◦ US jurisdiction (DuckDuckGo, Brave)
◦ US ownership and Google-dependency (Startpage)
◦ Lack of advanced search features (Boolean operators, filters)
• Recommendation: Develop or acquire a privacy-focused search engine with:
◦ Swiss jurisdiction
◦ Zero-knowledge architecture
◦ Advanced search features (Boolean operators, structured queries)
◦ Integration with Wayback Machine, file sharing, and other utilities
2. Open-Source Browser Initiative
• Recommendation: Create an open-source browser with:
◦ Strong privacy defaults (better than current options)
◦ Integrated privacy search engine
◦ Seamless integration with Proton ecosystem
◦ Advanced search interface with Boolean operators and power-user features
3. Acquisition Strategy
• Recommendation: Rather than building from scratch, consider acquiring existing open-source tools and enhancing them:
◦ Faster time to market
◦ Lower development risk
◦ Existing community support
◦ Proven functionality

Strategic Context
Market Trends
• Privacy is becoming a competitive differentiator, not just compliance
• Growing awareness of data exploitation and surveillance capitalism
• European users increasingly value Swiss/EU jurisdiction over US-based services
Competitive Advantage
• Switzerland's legal neutrality provides stronger protection than EU GDPR in many respects
• Proton's existing user base provides natural distribution
• Swiss jurisdiction is a unique selling proposition competitors cannot easily replicate
User Sentiment
• Many users (including myself) would leave if Proton moved core services to other countries outside Switzerland or EU servers for cost reasons
• Privacy-conscious users are willing to pay premium for Swiss jurisdiction
• This is a market signal that should be monitored closely

Specific Requests
1. Evaluate privacy search engine as a strategic opportunity
2. Consider open-source browser development or acquisition
3. Maintain Swiss hosting for core services (Mail, Drive, Calendar, VPN)
4. Publish roadmap for ecosystem expansion

Closing
I believe Proton is uniquely positioned to lead the European privacy market. The suggestions above represent both principled alignment with Proton's mission and commercially viable opportunities. Thank you for considering this feedback.

Prepared for: Proton AG Leadership
Date: March 16, 2026
User: Long-time Proton subscriber

Currently there aren't any decent European based search indexes that expose a decent API and offer privacy preserving features (like Kagi), the ones that do operate under US regulation. Would be nice if there is a high quality European alternative

+1 For a Proton Search Engine. That would complete Proton for me. Buy Kagi.

I recently switched to Proton email, but still have lingering use requirements with gmail and google. It would be so much easier to switch to proton 100% with a Proton search engine/browser.

That's a visionary proposal, focusing on core integrity—privacy—as the product. It mirrors our philosophy in construction: the unseen foundation determines everything. We learned that when a sleek design was almost derailed by vague costs for its structural skeleton. Now, for any project, our first step is to establish integrity through precise data. We submit plans for a definitive https://budgetingenterprise.com/steel-takeoffs. This step with Budgeting Enterprise provides the reliable, data-driven foundation—the peace of mind you deserve—to empower us to build confidently on top of it.

What if they partner (or buy) Kagi? You get both a Search Engine and a Web Browser.

If proton make it more sustainable like ecosia yes pls

i second a kagi or mojeek partnership - i'm sure there could be something worthwhile there if all parties are in alignment on goals and transparency

As Proton continues shaping a secure, user-controlled internet, the next logical evolution is clear: the creation of a dedicated Proton Search engine — a completely new, privacy-first service designed to power both Lumo, Proton’s AI assistant, and the broader Proton ecosystem.

Proton Search does not yet exist, but its time has come. In an era where mainstream search engines track, profile, and monetize every query, users increasingly demand a trustworthy alternative — one built not for advertisers, but for people. Proton, with its proven record in encrypted communication and secure storage, is uniquely positioned to redefine how private web search should work. By developing Proton Search from the ground up, Proton can offer a transparent, independent search experience that complements its email, VPN, cloud, and AI services perfectly.

Why Now:
Building Proton Search would establish Proton as the first ecosystem where every major digital interaction — communication, browsing, and information discovery — remains fully protected. It would answer the rising global demand for privacy-centric search tools and empower Lumo to provide real-time, verified information safely. Instead of relying on external engines that compromise privacy, Lumo could use Proton Search to retrieve up-to-date web data securely, maintaining Proton’s uncompromising privacy standards while making the assistant significantly more capable.

Feature Concept:
Within Lumo’s settings, users could activate a new “Auto Web Search” toggle. When enabled, Lumo would autonomously perform Proton Search queries when relevant to the conversation, fetching current information without exposing user data. A second control — “Set Proton Search as Default” — would let users make Proton’s new engine the sole web data source for Lumo. For those who prefer manual control, Proton Search could also function independently as a standalone private search engine accessible through Proton’s browser (Lumen) or external browsers such as Brave or Firefox, ensuring privacy continuity across the web.

Advantages:
– A completely new, zero-tracking Proton Search built from scratch.
– Real-time, privacy-compliant web access for Lumo.
– Clear, user-friendly activation controls.
– Cross-platform privacy: use Proton Search anywhere.
– Reinforces Proton’s leadership in privacy innovation.

Creating Proton Search would mark a defining moment for Proton — uniting privacy, intelligence, and independence under one trusted name. It would give users not just a search engine, but a private gateway to the world’s knowledge — powered by Proton, protected by design.

They should buy Kagi, then they'd also have their own translation tool aswell

Now that Kagi has announced working on Kagi Mail, I think it’s getting more important for Proton to work on a search engine. Doing a partnership with Kagi wouldn’t really help Proton from a business perspective (unless they buy Kagi).

The Kagi team has been pretty vocal about wanting to be a Google alternative at some point. They have a search engine (Kagi), a browser (Orion), an AI Assistant, Kagi Maps, Kagi Translate, now working on Kagi Mail, the next logical step would be a Kagi Drive.

I’m currently paying for both proton and Kagi, but if Kagi comes with a good quality mail app, I’d probably drop proton to avoid paying for 2 services. Especially if they announce a drive or something.

It would be nice

I was hoping Proton already had a search engine. I think this would be extremely valuable.

Would love to see Kagi brought into the Proton ecosystem. Similar missions, similar high standards to support the user through their funding. Kagi is already working on their Orion Browser too. Imagine all the Proton products working natively from their own browser 😭🤤

Just use Startpage.com
Private Google proxy that only shows actual search results without the sponsored section scams etc...

I would love to see a cooperation with Kagi.