When: January 21, 2026 7:00PM EST (6:30PM for Q&A)
Topic: Open Source Business Crash Course
Presenters: Federico Lucifredi, Kurt Keville
Location: Online: https://meet.jit.si/blu.org
Meeting will be recorded, but not live streamed. Recordings will be
posted: https://blu.org/video/
Summary:
Open Source business models, trade-offs, and pitfalls
Abstract:
We review Open Source business models, trade-offs, and pitfalls for
entrepreneurs new to its promise and challenges.
Of course, you know Open Source and Free Software are a development
model, not a business model. Or maybe you don't, in which case this is
definitely the session for you!
Graduate from :Open Source -> Giant Ecosystem -> Profit" naive thinking
to understanding how product and project ecosystems work, and what's in
it for the business and its customers – as well as what tradeoffs come
in the bargain.
As VCs no longer accept open-ended business plans starting with Open
Source code, building an ecosystem, and unexplained profit as the third
step, a more nuanced view is needed for the next generation of
entrepreneurs. We review the fundamental structure of Open Source
business, illustrate the known mistakes that others have made before you
so you can actually avoid them, and dissect the fundamental strategies
to monetizing Open Source.
The aim is to chart a path for your business to grow harmoniously
alongside its project and Community, not in tension degenerating into
rivalry with it. Let us show you what is well understood, so you can
make new, exciting mistakes instead of repeating the old ones.
Bio
Federico Lucifredi is The Ceph Storage Product Management Director
at Red Hat, formerly the Ubuntu Server PM at Canonical, and the
Linux “Systems Management Czar” at SUSE.
For further information and directions please consult the BLU Web site:
http://www.blu.org
Our meeting recordings are found on the Video tab: http://blu.org/video/
--
Jerry Feldman<[email protected]>
Boston Linux and Unixhttp://www.blu.org
PGP key id: 6F6BB6E7
PGP Key fingerprint: 0EDC 2FF5 53A6 8EED 84D1 3050 5715 B88D 6F6B B6E7
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