Michael Klimarev

CEO at VPN Generator: Tech Leader for a Free and Open Internet Everywhere

Berlin, Berlin, Germany

About

I was born in Rezh, a small town in Russia's Ural region. In Russian, "Rezh" means "cut"—a fitting irony for someone who has spent a lifetime ensuring that connections remain unbroken. Despite being designated a "foreign agent" by the Russian government, I remain undeterred. My mission is clear: to defend the fundamental right to a free, open, and uncensored internet for all. #Professional Background My expertise spans the entire telecommunications landscape. I have worked across the full technical and operational spectrum, including: * Engineering & Tech: Programming and large-scale network installation. * Business Operations: Marketing, sales, and executive management. Today, I serve as the Executive Director of the Internet Protection Society, a leading advocacy group fighting for digital rights and internet freedom. #Key Initiatives To provide tangible solutions against state-sponsored censorship, I founded: * VPN Generator: A robust tool providing over 500,000 people with secure, uncensored internet access. * NaSvyazy: An open-source support network and monitoring project that tracks internet shutdowns and censorship patterns across Russia. * ZaTelecom: A Telegram community of over 60,000 subscribers where I analyze telecom policy and the evolving landscape of digital rights. #Core Conviction At the heart of my work lies one non-negotiable belief: Access to information is a human right. No government has the authority to take it away. Stay connected.

Experience

  • Founder & Product Owner at NaSvyazi
    Mar 2023 - Present · 3 yrs 5 mos

    Nasvyazi (stay in touch!) is a non-profit organisation, a team of IT professionals who believe that the internet should be free and safe. We help solve any digital security issue, from connecting a VPN to protecting your website from attacks. Every day we solve complex problems, find new partners, and attract new volunteers. Join us and help make the Internet better and safer! And, of course, stay in touch!

  • CEO&Founder at VPN Generator
    Nov 2022 - Present · 3 yrs 9 mos

  • Executive Managing Director at Non-profit organization "Internet Protection Society"
    Sep 2017 - Present · 8 yrs 11 mos

    A non-profit organization that aims to protect the Internet in Russia from censorship, excessive regulation, administrative arbitrariness. I am engaged in the general organization of the activities of society. I communicate with the press, I write articles and reports.

  • Regional Manager at Clostra, Inc.
    Oct 2019 - Jun 2023 · 3 yrs 9 mos

    I am responsible for interaction with clients in Europe, the countries of the former USSR and Central Asia. NewNode is a fast and reliable decentralized content distribution network (dCDN) that is resistant to a variety of network disruptions, from simple bottlenecks to deliberate censorship attacks. NewNode works by replacing standard centralized network connections with a peer-to-peer and device-to-device network, in which users’ devices become the network. Every device that downloads NewNode becomes part of the network, simultaneously supporting and being sustained by the other nodes. By downloading the NewNode SDK, users provide for others while benefiting in turn.

  • CEO&Founder at Freeely.ru
    May 2015 - Dec 2017 · 2 yrs 8 mos

    Wi-fi should be Freeely http://freeely.ru/