Hillside Europe was founded in Munich in May 2001. From the beginning, the organisation's main goals were to support scientific and educational issues of information technology.

Hillside Europe is a non-profit organisation officially registered in Munich, Germany. As such, Hillside Europe is allowed to receive donations which in Germany are subject to tax deducation on the donator's part.

Hillside Europe keeps close links to other groups worldwide with similar interests. In particular Hillside Europe is in close touch with Hillside in the US - an American non-profit organisation dedicated to improving human communication about computers by encouraging people to codify common programming and design practice.