In 2025, the global social media landscape is witnessing a rapid transformation as new platforms emerge to challenge traditional players. At the forefront of this evolution is Bluesky, touted as a revolutionary alternative to X (formerly Twitter). Designed with decentralization and user autonomy at its core, Bluesky is redefining how we engage and interact online. This guide provides insightful lessons, key features, statistics, and a roadmap to help entrepreneurs and startup founders understand Bluesky’s potential as they navigate the ever-changing digital world.
Startup News: What Makes Bluesky Unique?
Bluesky is a decentralized social media platform built on the AT Protocol, an open-source framework that promotes transparency, customization, and user privacy. Originally conceptualized by Jack Dorsey in 2019, the platform has evolved into an independent entity and gained traction as a powerful alternative to the centralized model of social media dominated by X.
Key Features of Bluesky in 2025
- Customization and Control: Users can personalize feeds, moderation settings, and even opt for custom domains, improving their online autonomy.
- Open-Source Transparency: The AT Protocol enables developers to build interoperable apps and tools, embracing innovation in the social ecosystem.
- Community-Driven Moderation: Bluesky empowers users to take charge of content moderation through tools like Ozone, promoting a safer environment.
- Ad-Free Business Model: Bluesky focuses on monetization through paid services, avoiding the pitfalls of intrusive ads and data harvesting.
- Exciting User Growth: Surpassing 30 million users by early 2025, Bluesky attracts individuals looking for a fresh, decentralized alternative.
Bluesky vs X: A Comprehensive Comparison
Here’s how Bluesky stacks up against X (formerly Twitter):
Entrepreneurs Take Note: Lessons from Bluesky’s Growth
As Bluesky grows alongside competitors like Threads and Mastodon, it offers critical lessons for entrepreneurs looking to disrupt traditional industries:
- Decentralization Drives Trust: Bluesky has garnered fans by giving users control over their data and content, proving that transparency builds brand loyalty.
- Avoid Ad Dependency: Monetization methods that don’t rely on intrusive advertising can foster a more genuine user experience.
- Collaborative Development: Open-source ecosystems inspire innovation and community support, propelling Bluesky ahead of centralized rivals.
For aspiring startup founders, these lessons can be pivotal in designing platforms or ventures that prioritize user autonomy and community-driven growth.
Most Common Mistakes to Avoid When Leveraging Bluesky
- Ignoring Community Moderation: Entrepreneurs must ensure moderation tools are robust to avoid reputational risks.
- Underestimating Customization Needs: Bluesky’s success stems from empowering users to tailor experiences; startups failing to offer flexibility risk losing engagement.
- Over-reliance on Features Alone: While Bluesky’s features are attractive, its success lies in its values, transparency, decentralization, and privacy. Startups need to align with these principles.
How to Get Started on Bluesky: A Step-by-Step Guide
For Entrepreneurs and Freelancers:
- Sign Up on Bluesky: Access it through their web app or download their iOS and Android versions to create your profile.
- Explore Custom Domains: Register unique handles with paid services to enhance your brand identity.
- Build Communities: Use personalized feeds and moderation features to target niche audiences effectively.
- Experiment with Content Formats: Utilize Bluesky’s tools for text posts, image sharing, and vertical video uploads to maximize engagement.
Learn more through the Bluesky Official App.
EU Startup Benefits: Leverage the F/MS AI Grant Finder for Your Bluesky Projects
Are you building a startup inspired by platforms like Bluesky? The F/MS AI Grant Finder and Application Writer is a game-changing tool that helps entrepreneurs discover EU grants tailored to their needs. From identifying funding opportunities to crafting a draft application, this tool simplifies the process and saves time, ensuring your startup gets the backing it deserves.
Startup founders seeking grants for decentralized platforms or social innovation projects like Bluesky can especially benefit from this EU-focused platform.
Improve Collaboration with PlayPal: An AI Friend for Entrepreneurs
Bluesky’s customizable feeds align with the core principles behind PlayPal, the AI friend designed by Fe/male Switch CEO Violetta Bonenkamp. Entrepreneurs can leverage PlayPal for brainstorming ideas, validating startup concepts in the SANDBOX, or improving financial management through virtual advisory sessions.
PlayPal’s features include:
- Health and wellness advice.
- Guidance on startup SOPs and workflow organization.
- Real-time responses for problem-solving.
PlayPal is free to use and can make your entrepreneurial journey more engaging and productive.
Deep Dive: Video Recommendations for Expanding Your Startup Vision
Expand your knowledge and network with inspiring videos like:
- Startup Visa in Malta with Brian Camilleri: Understand Malta’s startup ecosystem to build a global presence.
- What Malta Enterprise Can Do for Startups: Gain insights into government support for early-stage ventures.
Discover more on the Fe/male Switch Channel.
Conclusion: Why Bluesky Matters for Entrepreneurs
As 2025 unfolds, Bluesky’s decentralized, community-driven approach to social media represents the future of connectivity in a quickly evolving digital world. For startup founders, Bluesky is more than just a platform, it’s a case study in principled innovation. By learning from Bluesky’s methods and leveraging tools like F/MS AI Grant Finder or PlayPal, entrepreneurs can set new benchmarks in transparency, user empowerment, and decentralization.
So whether you’re an established business owner or an aspiring freelancer, take inspiration from Bluesky’s meteoric rise, embrace innovation, and lead the way to reshape industries with purpose. The sky is truly the limit!
FAQ
1. What is Bluesky, and how does it work?
Bluesky is a decentralized social media platform built on the AT Protocol, which emphasizes user autonomy, transparency, and privacy. It offers a customizable social networking experience, serving as an alternative to X (formerly Twitter). Learn more about Bluesky
2. Who founded Bluesky, and when was it established?
Bluesky was conceptualized in 2019 by Jack Dorsey, the co-founder of Twitter. It is now an independent platform focused on user empowerment and transparency.
3. What makes Bluesky different from X (Twitter)?
Bluesky offers user-driven moderation, customizable feeds, and operates on a decentralized model using the AT Protocol. In contrast, X remains centralized and relies on advertisement-driven monetization. See a detailed comparison of Bluesky vs X
4. How does Bluesky ensure user privacy and autonomy?
Bluesky provides customization tools for feeds, moderation settings, and even custom domains for handles. Its open-source AT Protocol allows transparent and user-controlled interactions.
5. What are some key features of Bluesky?
Bluesky offers an ad-free experience, customizable feeds, content moderation tools through Ozone, and the ability to use unique handles or custom domains. Its services also include vertical video feeds and direct messaging features. Discover Bluesky's features
6. How has Bluesky been funded?
Bluesky raised a $15 million Series A round in November 2024 and generates revenue through paid services like custom domain handles. Explore Bluesky's funding journey
7. Who uses Bluesky, and what is its user base in 2025?
Prominent users include Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Mark Cuban, and Barack Obama. In early 2025, the platform exceeded 30 million users. Learn about Bluesky's user growth
8. How can startups benefit from Bluesky’s decentralization model?
Startups can learn the value of decentralization by focusing on user trust, developing open-source frameworks, and avoiding dependency on ad-driven monetization. Check out lessons for startups inspired by Bluesky
9. How can entrepreneurs leverage Bluesky for their ventures?
Entrepreneurs can use tools like personalized feeds, community moderation, and custom domains to build niche communities and strengthen their brands.
10. Is there financial support available for Bluesky-like projects?
Entrepreneurs interested in building decentralized platforms like Bluesky can take advantage of funding opportunities such as the EU F/MS AI Grant Finder for social innovation startups. Learn more about EU startup funding
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch. The Fe/male Switch team is located in several countries, including the Netherlands and Malta.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 3,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
