FreeWillow — A new local app for Willow

Why FreeWillow exists

A remarkable robot deserves a future.

Willow was never just another mower. It became part of our gardens, our routines and—sometimes—our families. But a capable robot should not become difficult to use because its original app disappears.

FreeWillow is the practical next step: a new independent app that connects locally to the robot, using the available robot API. No grand promise. A focused, useful first version that gives owners back everyday control.

The community has already shown the need. Now we can turn that need into something real—together.

Concept screen of the new local Willow app

283verified owner responses

91%interested in a local app

85%say an app is important or urgent

One crowd. Three levels of momentum.

First we save the essentials. Then we make them better.

The €10,000 threshold funds the first useful version. Additional support expands testing and improvement—without bloating the mission.

€10K

Build the first version

The shared crowdfunding threshold that starts development of the approved local app.

€15K

Improve after real use

After owners have used the app for a while, a focused improvement round follows the community’s real-world feedback.

€20K

Expand confidence

More compatibility checks, broader testing and additional high-value improvements.

The first version

Useful from day one.

A calm, multilingual app for the jobs Willow owners actually need: finding the robot, seeing what it is doing and controlling it locally.

01

Connect locally

Automatically discover and connect to compatible Willow robots on your home network.

02

Mow with confidence

View status, start or stop, return to dock and control mowing sessions.

03

See and protect

Access Sheriff alerts, recorded images, surveillance timing and the live camera.

04

Shape the garden

View and edit maps, zones, mowing settings, Wi-Fi and robot preferences.

Choose your contribution

Save it first. Improve it together.

Every contribution moves the shared total closer to €10,000. Choose the level that feels right; the app is built for the whole compatible Willow community.

€99

Keep Willow moving

A practical contribution that turns concern into action and helps fund the essential first version.

Contribute €99

€199

Build the app

A strong contribution that carries more of the development, testing and launch work.

Contribute €199

Most impact

€299

Accelerate the app

A leading contribution that accelerates compatibility checks, quality testing and the improvement reserve—without promising private influence.

Contribute €299

Threshold protection: if the campaign does not reach €10,000, contributors may request a refund of their contribution less Stripe processing costs and a €10 administration fee, under the published refund procedure.

Good questions

Clear answers.

Will my Willow be compatible?

Every Willow is intended to be compatible when it has the latest available robot software. Final compatibility still depends on the available robot API and validation during development.

When will the app be ready?

If the €10,000 threshold is reached before 10 August, the first version is most likely to be delivered before the end of August. This is a target, not an unconditional guarantee.

Is one person expected to pay €10,000?

No. This is crowdfunding: €10,000 is the amount we aim to reach together through many €99, €199 and €299 contributions.

Will the app need the original cloud?

The first version is designed around practical local-network access using the available robot API. Some functions may still depend on what that API and the robot software make available.

What happens after €15,000?

The app first needs time in real gardens. After a period of owner use, the additional budget funds a focused improvement round based on concrete community feedback.

What is Wesley’s role, and wasn’t he the founder of EEVE?

Yes. Wesley founded EEVE and is organizing FreeWillow independently as a community project because he wants Willow owners to have a practical way to keep using their robots. FreeWillow is not operated by EEVE BV or the bankruptcy estate.

What about repairs, maintenance and robot software updates?

EEVE’s assets and operational resources are currently part of the bankruptcy estate and administered by the court-appointed curator. Neither Wesley nor FreeWillow currently has access to them. Wesley is exploring whether a new service could become economically sustainable and legally possible, subject to the curator’s process and any required court decisions. There is no guarantee today that such a service can be established.

Can the community help shape the features of the new app?

The first priority is to recreate the essential EEVE app functions needed to keep compatible Willow robots usable. If the campaign exceeds €15,000, we plan a second iteration after owners have used the app in practice. That improvement round will be driven entirely by structured community feedback, within the technical possibilities of the robot API.

Will the new app work remotely?

Not in the first version. Your phone and Willow will need to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Secure remote access requires additional server infrastructure and ongoing operation. We can explore that feature as part of the second objective if the campaign exceeds €15,000.

Why is a new app needed if the EEVE app still exists?

The existing EEVE app depends on cloud services, including Amazon infrastructure, for login and other functions. Because EEVE is bankrupt, those operating costs are no longer being funded. When the services are taken offline—potentially as early as August—the existing app will lose cloud-dependent functionality. The community therefore asked for a practical replacement that can work locally with Willow.

Can’t the EEVE app source code simply be sold for €1 so it can continue?

No. The source code and other EEVE assets are part of the bankruptcy estate, so Wesley and FreeWillow cannot sell, transfer or license them. The app code alone would also not solve the problem: the existing app relies on server infrastructure for secure login and cloud-dependent services.

Why not make all EEVE source code open source so the community can continue?

EEVE’s source code is part of the bankruptcy estate, so Wesley and FreeWillow do not have the legal right to release it. An unauthorized release could also reduce the value of those assets. Even if open-sourcing became possible one day, source code alone would not give most owners a working, secure and supported app. FreeWillow is focused on delivering that practical result.