The Eugene Roshal Foundation

A global community of software developers united by gratitude and driven by the belief that great innovators deserve recognition and support.

Why We Started This Foundation

Built by developers, for a developer who built something the world relies on.

The Eugene Roshal Foundation was established in 2024 by a group of software developers from around the world who share one conviction: the people who change the world deserve to be remembered and supported by the communities they served.

When the founders of this foundation first learned — through developer community whispers and later through sources connected to Eugene's own family — that the creator of WinRAR was living quietly and struggling with serious health challenges and financial difficulties, we knew we had to act.

Eugene Roshal is not a celebrity. He never sought fame. He never gave keynote speeches or IPO'd a company with a billion-dollar valuation. He was a programmer — an extraordinarily talented programmer — who built something incredible and let the world use it. And for thirty years, the world did exactly that. Five hundred million of us, in fact.

This foundation is our way of saying: we see you, Eugene. We haven't forgotten. And we want to give back.

What We Stand For

🏅

Honor & Recognition

We advocate for Eugene Roshal to receive the recognition he deserves in the software development community, in tech history books, and in the public consciousness.

💰

Financial Support

We collect and direct donations to support Eugene personally during his current period of ill-health and financial difficulty. 100% of donations go to Eugene and his family's wellbeing.

📚

Historical Documentation

We document Eugene's life and contributions accurately and comprehensively to ensure this chapter of computing history is preserved for future generations of developers.

🌱

Inspiring Future Innovators

By celebrating individual brilliance, we inspire the next generation of solo developers, open-source contributors, and independent creators to pursue their visions without corporate backing.

The Foundation Coordinators

Volunteer software developers from around the world who believe in giving back.

MR

Marcus Rivera

Founder & Executive Director

Senior software engineer with 20 years experience. WinRAR user since 1997. Initiated the foundation after learning of Eugene's situation.

YW

Yuki Watanabe

Technical Director

Systems architect from Japan. Has studied RAR compression algorithms academically. Manages the foundation's technical content and verification.

SB

Sophia Bernard

Communications Director

Developer and technical writer from France. Leads our community outreach and relationships with the global developer community.

AK

Arjun Kumar

Finance & Transparency

Software developer and financial analyst from India. Oversees donation collection and ensures complete transparency in all financial operations.

ET

Elena Toscano

Community Manager

Developer community specialist from Italy. Manages our global network of volunteer supporters and organizes foundation events.

DM

David Müller

European Liaison

Software developer from Germany. Serves as our primary liaison for European developer communities and manages regional outreach.