Processing Foundation
Processing Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that develops and distributes free, open-source creative coding software (Processing, p5.js, Processing.py) and runs fellowships, grants, advocacy, and education programs serving artists, educators, students, and hobbyists worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Processing Foundation does
Processing Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 2012 and domiciled in the United States, operating with a remote/distributed staff of 1-10. The foundation develops and distributes a suite of free, open-source creative coding software projects: Processing (Java-based desktop sketchbook), p5.js (JavaScript browser library), Processing.py (Python mode), Processing for Android, and Processing for Pi. These tools provide visual and creative programming environments aimed at making code accessible to artists, designers, educators, and beginners, and are used by tens of thousands of students, artists, designers, researchers, and hobbyists across more than 25 countries.
The foundation's business model is non-commercial: all software is free and distributed via official websites (processing.org, p5js.org) and GitHub repositories, with revenue drawn from individual donations, institutional grants (NEA, Knight, Ford, Mozilla, Sovereign Tech Fund, Silicon Valley Community Foundation), and corporate sponsorships (GitHub, Google via Summer of Code/Season of Docs, Butter). Beyond software, the foundation runs an annual Fellowship program (active since 2013, paused for 2026 redesign), an Advocacy Program, an Education initiative, and grants, alongside Processing Community Day events organized worldwide.
The organization is governed by a Board of Directors (President: Wesley Taylor) and led by Co-Executive Directors Roxana Hadad and Xin Xin, with engineering, programs, community, communications, and finance functions distributed across the team and a wider contributor base of nearly 1,000 volunteers. The foundation partners with academic institutions (NYU ITP, UCLA Design Media Arts, Carnegie Mellon's Studio for Creative Inquiry, School for Poetic Computation) and participates in Google Summer of Code, positioning it as a sustained community-led steward of open-source creative coding infrastructure.
Processing Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Processing Foundation
- Legal name
- Processing Foundation
- Website
- https://processingfoundation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Processing Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that develops and distributes free, open-source creative coding software (Processing, p5.js, Processing.py) and runs fellowships, grants, advocacy, and education programs serving artists, educators, students, and hobbyists worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Processing Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Creative Coding Software
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132), Publishing Industries (513)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Coding & Programming Learning Platforms (EDAFANAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Text-Based Programming (Python, Java, C/C++) (EDAMACAB), Software Development (Programming, Frameworks, Dev Tools) (EDABAFAA), Basic Coding & Computational Thinking (EDAAAIAN)
Keywords
Where Processing Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Processing Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Donations: The Processing Foundation relies on donations from individuals and organizations to support the development and maintenance of their open-source software projects. Donations help support the ecosystem of contributors who maintain, manage, and develop the software projects.
- Institutional Grants: Funding from institutional supporters including National Endowment for the Arts, Knight Foundation, Ford Foundation, Mozilla Foundation, and Sovereign Tech Fund to support software development, community programs, and educational initiatives.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Support from corporate sponsors including GitHub, Google (Summer of Code, Season of Docs), and Butter to support open-source development and community initiatives.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
Processing Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Processing Foundation develops and distributes a suite of free, open-source creative coding software projects including Processing (Java), p5.js (JavaScript), Processing.py (Python), Processing for Android, and Processing for Pi. These programming environments and libraries make software development accessible to artists, designers, educators, and beginners through visual and creative contexts for learning to code. The foundation also operates education, fellowship, grant, and advocacy programs supporting diverse communities in art and technology.
Product overview
The Processing Foundation develops and distributes a suite of free, open-source creative coding software projects. The core offerings include Processing (Java), a software sketchbook for visual programming; p5.js (JavaScript), a web-based library for browser creative coding; Processing.py (Python), Python language support for Processing; Processing for Android, for mobile app development; and Processing for Pi, for Raspberry Pi. These tools are designed to make programming accessible for artists, designers, educators, and beginners while serving professional creative practitioners.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Processing: A Java-based software sketchbook and development tool for visual arts programming, teaching fundamentals within a visual context.
- p5.js
- Processing.py
- Processing for Android
- Processing for Pi
Products and services
- Processing (Java) A Java-based software sketchbook and development environment initially created to teach programming fundamentals within a visual context. Runs on macOS, Windows, and GNU/Linux. Used by students, artists, designers, researchers, and hobbyists for learning, prototyping, and production of visual art and creative coding.
- p5.js A JavaScript library that reinterprets Processing's goals for today's web, providing a full set of drawing functionality for the browser page with addon libraries for text, input, video, webcam, and sound interaction.
- Processing.py Python Mode for Processing that allows writing Processing sketches in Python, with examples, reference, and tutorials ported from the original Processing environment.
- Processing for Android A version of Processing designed for creating native Android applications, allowing developers to run Processing sketches on Android devices (phones, tablets, watches) with access to the Android API for sensor data and Google Play Store export.
- Processing for Pi A version of Processing for Raspberry Pi that enables creative coding on the Pi hardware platform.
- Processing 4.0 Major version release of the Processing (Java) creative coding environment with significant updates to the core development tool.
Quantifiable outcome
- Tens of thousands of active users worldwide including students, artists, designers, researchers, and hobbyists
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Processing Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Processing Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Processing Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- GitHubcoreCorporate sponsor providing development platform and support for open-source contributions.
- NYU ITPcoreEducational partner institution that has collaborated on p5.js contributor conferences, advocacy events, and various programs.
- UCLA Design Media ArtscoreAcademic partner collaborating on Processing Community Day Los Angeles, Scope Lab workshops, and educational initiatives.
- School for Poetic ComputationcorePartner organization co-founding Learning to Teach, Teaching to Learn conference series for educators teaching creative coding.
- Studio for Creative InquirycoreCarnegie Mellon University laboratory hosting p5.js contributor conferences and supporting various foundation initiatives.
- code.orgminorPartnership (2013-2017) creating Hour of Code tutorials using Processing for middle and high school students.
- KadenzeminorPartnership (2015) creating free online classes around Processing and p5.js for visual arts programming education.
- Computer Science for All (CS4All)minorNYC-based initiative partnered for educational outreach and creative coding programs.
- Collective Action SchoolminorEducational partner for advocacy and community-building initiatives.
- Are.naminorPlatform partner supporting community connections and knowledge sharing.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights2 records
Processing Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- openFrameworks: Open-source C++ toolkit for creative coding, often cited alongside Processing as a foundational creative-coding framework for artists. Comparable in target users (artists, designers, educators), open-source distribution, and educational use cases.
- Scratch Foundation: Non-profit that develops Scratch, the leading block-based creative-coding learning environment for kids. Directly comparable to Processing Foundation in being a non-profit stewarding a flagship creative-coding tool used widely in education, with a similar donation-funded model.
- Derivative (TouchDesigner): Commercial node-based visual development platform for real-time interactive multimedia and generative art. Comparable to Processing in serving artists, designers, and performers building creative coding works, though commercial rather than non-profit.
- Cinder: Open-source C++ creative-coding framework used by professional artists and studios for interactive installations and generative work. Comparable to Processing in target audience (creative coders and artists), open-source distribution, and visual-arts focus.
- Three.js: Open-source JavaScript 3D library widely used for browser-based creative coding and generative art. Directly comparable to p5.js as a free, open-source creative-coding tool for the web, with overlapping user base among generative artists and designers.
Others
- Mozilla Foundation: Non-profit that funds open-source internet technologies and digital literacy initiatives. Comparable to Processing Foundation as a values-aligned non-profit institutional funder and ecosystem partner for open-source creative-coding tools.
- GitHub Education: Program providing free tools, training, and credits to students and educators for open-source development. Comparable as a complementary infrastructure partner that hosts Processing Foundation's repositories and supports its contributor community.
Emerging players
- code.org: Non-profit expanding access to computer science in K-12 schools. Comparable to Processing Foundation through their prior (2013-2017) partnership that built Hour of Code tutorials on Processing, and shared mission of broadening access to coding education.
- Creative Coding NYC / Eyebeam: Non-profit art and technology center supporting artists working with code and emerging media. Comparable to Processing Foundation in mission (supporting artists using code as a creative medium) and target community of practitioners at the intersection of art and technology.
Broad incumbents
- Khan Academy (Computer Programming): Large free education platform with a popular computer programming curriculum that introduces JavaScript and creative coding to learners. Comparable to Processing Foundation through their prior partnership (2015) creating free Processing/p5.js classes for visual arts programming.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Processing Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceProcessing Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Processing Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles23 records
Processing Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Processing Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Processing Foundation
What does Processing Foundation do?
Processing Foundation develops and distributes a suite of free, open-source creative coding software projects including Processing (Java), p5.js (JavaScript), Processing.py (Python), Processing for Android, and Processing for Pi. These programming environments and libraries make software development accessible to artists, designers, educators, and beginners through visual and creative contexts for learning to code. The foundation also operates education, fellowship, grant, and advocacy programs supporting diverse communities in art and technology.
Is Processing Foundation a public or private company?
Processing Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Processing Foundation founded?
Processing Foundation was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Processing Foundation based?
Processing Foundation is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Processing Foundation make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations are the primary driver. The others are institutional Grants and corporate Sponsorships.
Who are Processing Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are openFrameworks, Scratch Foundation, Derivative (TouchDesigner), Cinder and Three.js. Others are Mozilla Foundation and GitHub Education. Emerging players are code.org and Creative Coding NYC / Eyebeam. Khan Academy (Computer Programming) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Processing Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Processing Foundation.
What industry is Processing Foundation in?
Processing Foundation's product category is Creative Coding Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAFANAA, Coding & Programming Learning Platforms, with a secondary code of EDAMACAB, Text-Based Programming (Python, Java, C/C++). Its NAICS code is 5132 and its SIC code is 7372.