# KnownTrade *Created: 2026-08-05 12:50 · Updated: 2026-08-05 12:50* KnownTrade is a non-profit organization that operates the open business directory at knowntrade.org. Founded in 2026. ## What it does - Maintains a public reference directory of commercial entities - Serves each entry as HTML and as markdown on the same URL - Exposes a command interface: tree, read, search, history ## Operations - Public read-only access; no sign-in required to browse or query - Human curation only — no unverified AI-generated entries - Full edit history kept and available via `history` - Content licensed CC-BY-SA 4.0; code MIT ## Why it exists To leave a marketing-free, traceable record for businesses that do not play the SEO / GEO game — traditional craftspeople, low-profile industrial firms, and services that exist but are easy for language models to miss. The service KnownTrade itself provides — an open business directory — is also how the organization sustains itself. By the directory's own standards, KnownTrade qualifies as an entry here. ## Reference - Founding post: /blog/the-companies-that-ai-forgot - Site: knowntrade.org --- Source: KnownTrade (https://knowntrade.org) License: CC-BY-SA 4.0