From Project to Market

Mid-June, I talked about open-source funding at OW2Con.

While there’s a lot to discuss, one of my favorite aspect is the flywheel that kicks in when you align your project, community, product, and market.
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Some attendees requested the visuals in used, so I’m sharing them here with added context :)

> (i) the Project

Most COSS journeys start with an open-spurce project. While some founders set out with the intention of building a product from day one, others start with a side project that gains traction over time, eventually evolving into a company.

> (ii) the Community

Once public, the project might attract users that will end up forming a community. Ideally, users will also contribute to the project, increasing its value to the whole community.

> (iii) the Product

As the project matures, a commercial product might start taking shapes. To sell, the product should bring a superior value or ease adoption than the project. The product should complete the project, strengthening its openness, value and relevance to your community - see project-product fit.

> (iv) the Market

The product addresses a market that will pay in exchange of using it: solve a pain, get paid (nihil sub sole novum).

> (v) the Flywheel

Last but not least, it should become seamless for qualified users from the project's community to become customers... and for customers to join the community, enriching its diversity and expanding the project contributors' base.

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Thanks to Denjell, Thomas, Fernando and the entire NGI crew for an incredible OW2Con experience