Svalbard

I founded Rest of World with a singular mission: to tell global tech stories that Silicon Valley wasn’t paying attention to. Over the past five years, we’ve published thousands of stories, engaged millions of readers, and won a National Magazine Award. It’s also been tremendously fun. Hard, but fun. To see our worldview embraced by readers and tech users in all corners of the globe – I’m looking at you, our 2 regular readers in Nauru – is beyond a privilege. Don’t let anyone tell you that well-made journalism can’t change the world.

That said: since we launched, the world has shifted beneath our feet. We’re living through a fundamental reshaping of global order alongside the emergence of powerful (and dangerous) new technology, climate change acceleration, supply chains upending, and fast-evolving media habits. Isolationism is on the rise as democracy and free expression everywhere face grave threats.

We built Rest of World for exactly this moment. Our work goes beyond surfacing new innovation or holding tech giants accountable (though we excel at both). At our core lies a foundational belief: that tech users outside the West deserve the same respect and attention as anyone else. And that their experiences, whether triumphant or troubling, offer essential insights into technology’s trajectory and our collective future.

Independent journalism that brings stories from “rest of world” is mission-critical as the US pulls back from global engagement, views foreign actors with suspicion, and actively shuns global talent. Rest of World delivers trustworthy & incisive perspectives directly from voices outside the Silicon Valley bubble, and we do it well. The current moment demands we do it even better.

So, now is the right time to bring in fresh leadership & vision to guide Rest of World into its next chapter, more focused and even more impactful. We are seeking an experienced and strategic Publisher to lead our organization forward. You can read more about the role here.

As for myself: I’m not going anywhere, nor is my financial commitment to our mission. When our new publisher is in place, I will become board chair. And I am looking forward to building new things again.

Rest of World has never been more necessary. I have always said that we’re not pro- or anti-tech; we’re pro-humanity. With the right leader, our greatest impact lies ahead.

Sophie