How MevaSearch Was Created — The Story of the Project

The internet is changing at lightning speed, and with it grows the need for alternatives to dominant search engines. MevaSearch was born as a response to the demand for private, transparent, and fast search — designed with Polish users in mind. How did an idea turn into a working project, and how do we protect your privacy?

Name and Icon

Icon The idea for the name and logo came as the first step. The icon refers to a digital seagull symbol — ·v represents the head and beak, where ∙ is the eye, and the second part depicts a closed eye and the end of the shape.

The name MevaSearch (pronounced meva search) comes from the Polish word mewa — a seagull associated with the sea, holidays, and positive moments. A seagull is a skilled flyer — not the fastest, but not slow either. It’s a perfect metaphor for a search engine: stable and always heading in the right direction.

2. Idea and Motivation

It all started with the observation of the growing need for privacy and transparency online. We wanted to create a search engine that clearly communicates its principles, minimizes data collection, and delivers safe results.

We also noticed that most Polish search engines tend to shut down after a few years. Currently, only one project is still active — ZIZOO.pl, created by Maciej Soroczyński, focused on searching web content. Other solutions, such as “Szukaj Onet,” “Wyszukiwarka Interia,” “Szukaj w WP,” or “o2.pl,” are more like site-specific search tools rather than full web search engines.

3. Prototype

MevaSearch 2024 The first prototype appeared back in 2024 — very simple, with an interface resembling early search engines. It only offered basic search results, but it allowed us to test the concept in practice and gather initial feedback from testers. Already then, we chose the Space Grotesk font, which still accompanies MevaSearch today.

4. Technology

At first, we tried to build our own results algorithm and indexing system. Unfortunately, all attempts failed. After many months, we decided that results would come from the Google Search API combined with our own results database — msX SearchBase, used to complement and improve search quality.

5. Privacy and Security

From the very beginning, user protection was a priority. That’s why we started developing a mechanism capable of detecting and labeling dangerous sites in real time.

We built our own threat database, based on trusted sources such as CERT Polska, Abuse.ch, and other popular lists of suspicious or harmful websites. Thanks to this, MevaSearch could warn users about phishing attempts, scams, and other threats even before they accessed a dangerous page.

6. New Interface and User Experience

Meva Search Beta 2025 In its beta phase, MevaSearch introduced an experimental interface with a bright, simple design — very different from the later dark style. The beta focused on clarity and modernity. It was also a testing ground for new features.

Meva Search 0.9.0 Over time, the interface underwent a major transformation — adopting a dark, minimalist, and modern look. It’s worth noting that until the release of msX 2.0, the project operated under the name Meva Search or simply Meva. Only with the new version did we introduce new branding, including the updated logo and the refreshed name — MevaSearch.

7. Official Launch

On May 18, 2025, the search engine was made publicly available for the first time under the name Meva on the subdomain meva.ixavence.org. This marked the moment when the project became accessible to everyone, enabling users to test and use a new Polish search tool.

Just a few days later, on May 24, 2025, we purchased the new, permanent domain mevasearch.org, which remains MevaSearch’s home to this day. The Ixavence subdomain was gradually phased out, with all traffic and features moved to the new domain to ensure a smooth transition and service continuity.

From then on, MevaSearch — still known as Meva Search at the time — began functioning as a new search engine with a Polish team and a clear focus on user security.

8. msX 2.0 Update

msx2 The msX 2.0 update brought a complete overhaul. We added a new light mode alongside an improved dark mode, introduced additional tools, and fixed design issues to provide even greater comfort. We also officially changed the name from Meva / Meva Search to MevaSearch, highlighting the project’s new identity. Thanks to this update, MevaSearch gained a more professional and cohesive look, better desktop support, and new features improving search relevance.

9. Statistics

From the very start, MevaSearch has tracked user activity in a privacy-friendly way — analyzing search results without the possibility of linking them to individuals. For this, we use Ixavence Analytics, a system built with user safety and privacy in mind.

With these tools, we noticed that the biggest spike of interest came in July 2025, with traffic jumping to 32,000 page views. In August, we recorded around 2,000 views, showing that the service gained a stable, active user base. Altogether, MevaSearch has logged 40,000 page views so far.

In September 2025, even though the month isn’t over yet, we have already recorded 3,700 views — proving that the service continues to attract new users and enjoys growing interest.

10. Who Created MevaSearch?

Although many people contributed to the project, the main creators of MevaSearch are Igor Oprządek and Wojciech Podczyc.

Igor Oprządek serves as the project’s lead owner — responsible for site maintenance, policies, and rules of operation. He manages quality, oversees the search engine’s design, and originated the idea behind MevaSearch as both a project and a brand. Igor also programs new features, implements innovative ideas, supervises marketing, runs the project’s social media, and creates advertisements.

Wojciech Podczyc is the lead developer, responsible for advanced MevaSearch features and the current search interface. He creates new functionalities, optimizes performance, and maintains the database of unsafe domains, ensuring a secure environment for users.

What’s Next for MevaSearch?

MevaSearch continues to grow. Our goal is not only to maintain high-quality search but also to introduce new features that improve comfort and safety for users. We plan to further develop privacy-enhancing tools and expand our database to block online threats even more effectively.