Case Study: Future Life Research and The Good Cloud

Background

Future Life Research, founded in 2014, is a Netherlands-based organisation dedicated to preparing people for an unknown future through positive behavior stimulation. Led by Dr. Nicolet Theunissen, the company specializes in digital didactics for behavior change and social franchising. With a small team of 10 employees, Future Life Research places a strong emphasis on privacy, security, and sustainability in its operations.

Challenges

As an organisation focused on behavior change and ethical responsibility, Future Life Research sought a secure and privacy-focused digital solution. Key concerns included:

• Ensuring privacy by design
• Managing data responsibly to build trust with clients
• Avoiding reliance on U.S.-based solutions due to concerns over government access to data
• Consolidating a fragmented tech stack, which previously included seven different tools for communication and project management

The Search for a Solution

Through a connection in the Permanent Beta community, a network of tech enthusiasts and idealists, Dr. Theunissen learned about Nextcloud. While she appreciated Nextcloud’s innovation, she prioritized stability and sought a reliable hosting provider. This led her to The Good Cloud, which stood out due to:

• Hosting in the Netherlands
• Individualized support
• A strong but independent connection to the Nextcloud community
• Commitment to sustainability

Implementation and Adoption

Future Life Research took a structured, user-friendly approach to adoption:

• While technical migration could have been completed in two days, the company prioritized staff confidence, taking six months to transition fully.
• The team adopted Nextcloud in stages, starting with file storage before integrating other features.
• Key tools in daily use include Deck for project management, Talk for video calls and chat, and Nextcloud Office for document collaboration.
• Despite some initial challenges, such as the loss of certain functionalities (e.g., copying cards in Deck), The Good Cloud provided effective support.

Results and Impact

Since implementing The Good Cloud, Future Life Research has experienced significant benefits:

• Consolidation of multiple tools into a single, streamlined platform
• Enhanced data security and ethical data management
• Increased efficiency in project collaboration
• The ability to experiment with new Nextcloud apps for further optimization
• Stronger communication and relationship-building with The Good Cloud team

Testimonial

“Future Life Research B.V. has been a satisfied user of Nextcloud for a few years now, through the Dutch company The Good Cloud. Nextcloud can do everything that Microsoft 365 and Google Drive can do, and in some cases even better. And certainly better in terms of privacy, security, and sustainability. The people at The Good Cloud certainly take care of that!”

– Dr. Nicolet Theunissen

Founder of Future Life Research

Conclusion

Future Life Research’s journey with The Good Cloud highlights the importance of choosing ethical, privacy-focused solutions without sacrificing functionality. By prioritizing a smooth transition and maintaining an open dialogue with their provider, they successfully built a secure, efficient, and sustainable digital workspace.