Creative Commons Gets $4 Million; Lessig Steps Down

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 2, 2008 - 6:57am.

San Francisco - Creative Commons, the non-profit set up to promote a less-restrictive copyright licensing scheme, announced on Wednesday that it has received a new $4 million grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and said founder and CEO Lawrence Lessig is stepping down to focus on his new Change Congress project.

Replacing Lessig in the head role at Creative Commons will be venture capitalist and free culture advocate Joi Ito, who will step down as chairman but remain on the board.

Founding board member and Duke law professor James Boyle will replace Ito as chairman.

Creative Commons said that $2.5 million of the funds will provide it with general support over the next five years, while the remaining $1.5 million will support ccLearn, an effort focused on open educational resources.

"Both pieces of news we are announcing today reflect Creative Commons' maturation from a startup into crucial infrastructure for creativity, education, and research in the digital age," said Lessig.

Lessig's new Change Congress project aims to "increase transparency in the U.S. government's legislative branch."