Shutdown-resistant messaging.
Stay connected without the internet.
About Dash Chat
We’re developing an offline-first, encrypted, peer-to-peer messaging app specifically designed for communities experiencing internet shutdowns, low connectivity, natural disasters, or unreliable network conditions.
With authoritarianism and network interference increasing worldwide, secure and sovereign communication without dependence on stable internet is becoming essential yet remains a challenge.
Dash Chat operates independently from centralized servers or stable internet, built directly with communities most affected by network disruptions, ensuring encrypted communication precisely when it matters most.
Download the app
Current Status & Next Steps
Already completed:
- ✅ Selected core technology (Holochain)
- ✅ Developed multi-device synchronization prototype
- ✅ Began detailed community-focused research
Upcoming (MVP, Jan–Dec 2025):
- ☐ User research and co-design workshops
- ☐ Build and field-test prototype (offline, secure backups, encryption)
- ☐ Refine based on direct feedback
- ☐ UI/UX Design
- ☐ iOS, File Sharing, Location Sharing
- ☐ App Store / Play Store Availibility
- ☐ Push Notifications
- ☐ Disappearing messages, Hidden locked chats, Emojis, Search, Reactions
Future Development:
- ☐ Raspberry Pi always-online nodes, Emergency relay mode
- ☐ Multimedia messaging, Advanced encryption
- ☐ Localization and global adaptation
User Research & Design Approach
We’re conducting extensive user research and UI/UX design with Decent Design, supported by OTF’s User Experience and Discovery Lab. Our research carefully addresses specific needs, contexts, and user priorities, ensuring we develop technology transparently and responsibly.
If your community or organization would like to participate, please reach out securely via this form.
Why Another Messaging App?
- Signal, Telegram, Matrix: Fail during internet shutdowns.
- Delta Chat: Resilient, but dependent on email infrastructure.
- Briar: No iOS, multi-device, backups, or multimedia.
Dash Chat aims to recreate main-net chat experiences reliably on local networks, prioritizing usability and security.
Who It’s For
- Communities facing poor or disrupted internet infrastructure
- Villages in the global south, disaster-affected communities
- Protestors, journalists, human rights defenders, digital security practitioners
Team & Advisors
Team: Eric Bear (Lead), Guillem Cordoba, Michael Dougherty (Engineering), Viktor Zaunders (Operations), Jun (User Research)
Advisors: Andreas Dzialocha (p2panda, Delta Chat), Holmes Wilson (Quiet), Stacey Tsui (Security trainer), Christian Tshudin (TinySSB), Scott Garrison (Disaster.Radio)
Get in Touch
Email: hello [at] darksoil [dot] studio
GitHub: darksoil-studio