Drive Your Business With Open Source Sponsorship
4Presented by Wolfgang Gehring (Mercedes-Benz Tech Innovation GmbH) at EclipseCon 2022.
In 2014, the Heartbleed Bug sent shockwaves across the internet and lead to news headlines like: “The Internet Is Being Protected By Two Guys Named Steve”. Although this headline is somewhat humorous, it revealed a crucial vulnerability of FOSS altogether: Oftentimes, important Open Source Software is maintained by a few engaged, but tired and overworked, underpaid individuals. Recent examples include the Log4Shell vulnerability whose consequences aren’t even fully clear yet.
There are a few ways to remedy this situation: By active participation through community engagement, high-quality contributions, becoming a maintainer, or through membership in Open Source foundations. Another great option is through financial sponsorship – which goes beyond just money, but also gives the software we depend on the recognition their creators deserve. Let’s explore why sponsoring is a great way to drive FOSS forward altogether, how it can be done in practice, and what our experience with Open Source sponsorship is at Mercedes-Benz. In particular, we’ll also discuss how to overcome challenges in implementing such a sponsorship program at corporate level.