# About TagSpaces > Learn about the team and vision behind TagSpaces — an open-source, privacy-focused file organizer founded in Munich, Germany by Ilian Sapundshiev in 2013. # About TagSpaces ## Our Mission TagSpaces exists to give people full control over their digital files — without cloud accounts, without proprietary databases, and without vendor lock-in. We believe your files should be organized, searchable, and accessible on your terms, not on the terms of a some service. In a world where most productivity tools require you to upload your data to someone else's server, TagSpaces takes the opposite approach: everything stays on your device, in standard file formats, readable by any application. Your notes are Markdown files. Your tags are stored alongside your files. Your data is yours — today, tomorrow, and in 20 years. ## The Founder The project was initiated in 2012 by [Ilian Sapundshiev](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sapundshiev/) in Munich, Germany. Ilian holds a master's degree in computer science and computational linguistics from the [Technical University of Munich](https://www.tum.de) — a background that directly shapes how TagSpaces approaches file organization, metadata, and search. In 2015, he founded [TagSpaces GmbH](/about/imprint/) to focus full-time on the development of TagSpaces and derivative products. The company remains independent, self-funded, and based in Munich. ## Project Timeline - **2013** — Project started as a personal side project for organizing files with tags; first public release on GitHub; early adopters from the Linux and open-source community - **2014** — Featured on [Lifehacker](https://lifehacker.com/tagspaces-is-a-cross-platform-tag-oriented-file-manage-1564189159), bringing the first wave of mainstream attention - **2015** — TagSpaces GmbH founded in Munich; development becomes full-time - **2016** — Web Clipper browser extension released for Chrome and Firefox - **2018** — TagSpaces Pro launched with advanced perspectives (Kanban, Gallery, Mapique) - **2020** — S3-compatible cloud storage support added, enabling NAS and self-hosted workflows - **2021** — Major UI overhaul in version 4.0; tscmd command-line tool released - **2023** — Version 5.0 with Kanban boards, FolderViz, and workspace management - **2024** — Version 6.0 with redesigned interface - **2025** — Local AI integration via Ollama; Calendar perspective added - **2026** — Frontmatter support in Markdown editor; contact management; 28 supported languages ## Community & Recognition TagSpaces is trusted by a growing community of developers, researchers, designers, and privacy-conscious users worldwide: - **5,000+ GitHub stars** and **490+ forks** on the [main repository](https://github.com/tagspaces/tagspaces) - **28 languages** — translated by community volunteers via [Transifex](/contribute/translation/) - **Reviewed by** [Lifehacker](https://lifehacker.com/tagspaces-is-a-cross-platform-tag-oriented-file-manage-1564189159), [IT'S FOSS](https://news.itsfoss.com/tagspaces/), [HostingAdvice](https://www.hostingadvice.com/blog/manage-and-navigate-files-with-tagspaces/), [PopSci](https://www.popsci.com/diy/best-file-manager-windows-mac-os/), [T3N](https://t3n.de/magazin/software-tipps-3-237360/), and [others](/press/) - Listed on [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TagSpaces), [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23680083), and [Product Hunt](https://www.producthunt.com/posts/tagspaces) ## Open Source The core of TagSpaces (Lite edition) is open source under the [AGPL-3.0 license](/legal/agplv3/). The source code is available on [GitHub](https://github.com/tagspaces/tagspaces) for anyone to inspect, audit, and contribute to. Most of the [file viewer and editor extensions](https://github.com/tagspaces/tagspaces-extensions) as well as the command-line tool [tscmd](https://github.com/tagspaces/tagspaces-common/tree/develop/packages/tagspaces-shell) are licensed under the more permissive MIT license. We welcome contributions — whether it's [code](https://github.com/tagspaces/tagspaces), [translations](/contribute/translation/), [bug reports](https://github.com/tagspaces/tagspaces/issues), or [feedback](https://github.com/tagspaces/tagspaces/discussions). ## Connect - **Documentation:** [docs.tagspaces.org](https://docs.tagspaces.org) - **GitHub:** [github.com/tagspaces](https://github.com/tagspaces) - **Mastodon:** [@tagspaces@fosstodon.org](https://fosstodon.org/@tagspaces) - **X:** [@tagspaces](https://x.com/tagspaces) - **YouTube:** [TagSpaces Channel](https://www.youtube.com/@tagspaces) - **LinkedIn:** [TagSpaces](https://www.linkedin.com/company/tagspaces/) - **Email:** [contactus@tagspaces.org](mailto:contactus@tagspaces.org)