Is anyone working on/want to work on alternative internet tools/platforms?

In what sense?

I guess any sense. New things would be interesting to see people doing.

Or it could be things to make a better internet, which means things that people don't currently have in their hands.

Look up Named Data Networking or Content-centric Networking. I think it's an extremely interesting space that is sadly sort of obscure.

I've been following the development and proliferation of SCION: https://www.scion.org/. Seems pretty cool.