Element
Secure, decentralised messaging built on Matrix — a UK alternative to Slack and Microsoft Teams.
Overview
Element is a London, United Kingdom-based European company building collaboration, messaging, and open source software since 2017. As an EU-headquartered provider, Element operates under GDPR and is outside the reach of the US CLOUD Act, making it a privacy-friendly alternative to well-known US incumbents for European teams.
Why European teams pick Element
Teams in Europe pick Element when they want a collaboration provider that bills in EUR, supports their local data-protection officer requirements, and keeps customer data under United Kingdom law, operating since 2017. Compared with well-known US incumbents, Element avoids cross-border data transfers under Schrems II and the US CLOUD Act, which is often the deciding factor for European procurement and legal teams.
See more EU collaboration tools or browse other startups from United Kingdom.
About
Element is a UK-based open-source messaging platform built on the Matrix decentralised protocol, developed by New Vector Ltd. Because Matrix is federated, organisations can run their own Element server (Synapse or Dendrite) on EU infrastructure and communicate with any other Matrix server globally, without routing messages through a central provider. Element offers end-to-end encryption via the Matrix Olm/Megolm protocol, cross-signing for device verification, spaces for channel organisation, and bridges to Slack, Teams, Discord, IRC, and other networks. Element is used by the French government (Tchap), German public sector, and many EU government agencies as a sovereign alternative to Microsoft Teams. The server component is open-source under Apache 2.0.
Details
- Founded
- 2017
- Headquarters
- London, United Kingdom
Categories
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- BaserowNetherlands — Open-source no-code database and Airtable alternative — built in the Netherlands.
- PortainerNew Zealand — Container management UI for Docker and Kubernetes — a New Zealand/European alternative to Rancher.
- NetdataGreece — Open-source real-time infrastructure monitoring — an alternative to Datadog.
- NotesnookGermany — Zero-knowledge encrypted note-taking app — an alternative to Evernote.
Frequently asked questions
What is Element?
Element is a UK-based open-source messaging platform built on the Matrix decentralised protocol, developed by New Vector Ltd. Because Matrix is federated, organisations can run their own Element server (Synapse or Dendrite) on EU infrastructure and communicate with any other Matrix server globally, without routing messages through a central provider. Element offers end-to-end encryption via the Matrix Olm/Megolm protocol, cross-signing for device verification, spaces for channel organisation, and bridges to Slack, Teams, Discord, IRC, and other networks. Element is used by the French government (Tchap), German public sector, and many EU government agencies as a sovereign alternative to Microsoft Teams. The server component is open-source under Apache 2.0.
What does Element do?
Element is secure, decentralised messaging built on matrix — a uk alternative to slack and microsoft teams. It is listed under collaboration, messaging, and open source on EU Alts because its core functionality serves teams looking for a European collaboration tool with EU data residency, typically as a switch away from well-known US incumbents.
Is Element a good European collaboration alternative?
Element is a fit for European businesses evaluating collaboration options where data residency and GDPR alignment matter — typical buyers include EU-based SaaS teams, public-sector projects, regulated industries (healthcare, finance, legal), and any organisation that needs to demonstrate that customer data does not leave the EU. It also overlaps with messaging and open source use cases.
Is Element GDPR compliant?
Element is headquartered in London, United Kingdom and falls under EU jurisdiction, so it processes user data under the GDPR by default. Because the company is not US-incorporated, it is not subject to the US CLOUD Act — meaning US authorities cannot compel Element to disclose customer data the way they can with well-known US incumbents. For European buyers, that often simplifies DPIA paperwork and standard contractual clauses.
How do teams switch from well-known US incumbents to Element?
Most teams move to Element from well-known US incumbents because they want EU data residency without giving up the core collaboration workflow. Element's United Kingdom base means a single jurisdiction for both the company and (typically) its hosting infrastructure, so you can drop Schrems II transfer impact assessments for this part of your stack. Plan the migration in stages: export your data from the US incumbent, pilot Element with a small team, then move the rest once the integration coverage you need is confirmed.
Where is Element based?
Element is headquartered in London, United Kingdom. The company was founded in 2017. Its main website is https://element.io.