Business Model Innovation Map For Open Assets
This section of the toolkit leverages the Business Model Innovation Map (downloadable for reference) to help you identify and explore successful business models that utilize open source elements (software – OSS, data – OD, or hardware – OH).
The toolkit uses a multi-step approach:
1. It starts by helping you clarify your main open asset business objective.
2. Then it supports you to identify the source and form of value you want to create.
3. Finally it offers filtering options to narrow down the possibilities based on the type of open source element (OSS/OD/OH) you’re considering.
| Business model | Open asset type | Example | Value from | Value details | Value Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advertising | Open Source Software | Mozilla Firefox (from Google as default search engine), mAdServe | Value form linked assets | Advertising (e.g. linked to app stores and software dev. kits) | |
| Selling user data | Open Source Software | Value form linked assets | Get user knowledge | ||
| Software certification | Open Source Software | Value form linked assets | Brand licensing | Standards, trust-frameworks | |
| Corporate development and distribution | Open Source Software | IBM development of Linux kernel, Raspberry Pi | Value form linked assets | Reduce costs (e.g. production/maintenance) | |
| Corporate strategic partnership | Open Source Software | Linux Foundation Visa cards | Value form linked assets | Shared revenue | |
| Supporting primary busines | Open Data | Value form linked assets | Support to primary goals | ||
| OH Customised solution provider | Open Hardware | Value form linked assets | Income from integrated software solution |
Development driven
Internal development
Indirect Strategic aims
Business driven
Asset based
Service based
Extended business
Advertising
Advertising (1)
Advertisements are displayed directly (in the functioning
software or in the installation process) or indirectly (in the
website or manuals) which generate revenue. The software owner
contracts the ads either directly or through an advertising
network, perhaps using a provided software development kit. In
the mobile app variation of this model, the app store provider
is also involved.
- EXTERNAL FOSS User aspect
- OWN SOFTWARE Contributor aspect
- VALUE FROM LINKED ASSETS: Advertising (e.g. linked to app
stores and software dev. kits)
Examples
Mozilla Firefox (revenue from Google as default search engine),
SourceForge (ad-supported repository), AdBlock Plus (revenue to
grant “acceptable advertising” status), WordPress.com
(advertising on hosted websites), MoPub, mAdServe
Selling user data
Selling user data (9)
Collecting data about usability, user feedback, user preferences,
etc., developers can leverage that knowledge to develop better
applications and features. Developers could instrument
applications like they do today with advertising frameworks to
provide data. FOSS applications could use the framework to use
the provided data to fund applications development.
- EXTERNAL FOSS User aspect
- OWN SOFTWARE Contributor aspect
- VALUE FROM LINKED ASSETS: Get user knowledge
Software certification
Software certification (10)
Software can be provided under a FOSS license, but requires
certification to use a branding mark or claim to be
interoperable. In one variation, original equipment
manufacturers (OEM) might use the certified software in their
hardware devices. In another variation, the project owners
register service marks (for example “Moodle”) around the world,
then create a trust- and royalty-based scheme where only
licensed partners can use the software or project name in their
promotions and service descriptions. The mark becomes a
standard for those looking for support services (e.g. hosting,
development, training, etc.)
- EXTERNAL FOSS User aspect
- OWN SOFTWARE Contributor aspect
- VALUE FROM LINKED ASSETS: Brand licensing
Corporate development and distribution
Corporate development and distribution (3)
Organizations (both non-profit and commercial) pay full-time or
part-time developers to customize and extend FOSS for their own
organizational needs; then they distribute some or all of their
modifications at no charge to the FOSS community for the
continued improvement of the original FOSS product. For hardware
vendors, this can be a way to enable hardware sales or reduce
the vendor’s cost of operating system production and
maintenance. This is distinct from the model where they make
such modifications and keep them internal without distributing
them (that is “Corporate development without distribution”,
described as a distinct business model.)
- EXTERNAL FOSS User aspect
- OWN SOFTWARE Contributor aspect
- VALUE FROM LINKED ASSETS: Reduce costs (e.g.
production/maintenance)
Corporate strategic partnership
Corporate strategic partnership (23)
A FOSS vendor provides preferred marketing opportunities to
selected for-profit vendors that allow them to approach its
membership with a business offer, with the FOSS vendor receiving
a share of any revenue generated.
- EXTERNAL FOSS User aspect
- OWN SOFTWARE Contributor aspect
- VALUE FROM LINKED ASSETS: Shared revenue
OD Indirect benefit
Supporting primary business
This model entails releasing data towards supporting the primary
goals and processes of a business or organization.
- EXTERNAL OD/OH User aspect
- OWN DATA Contributor aspect
- VALUE FROM LINKED ASSETS: Support to primary goals
OH Customised solution provider
- EXTERNAL OD/OH User aspect
- OWN HARDWARE Contributor aspect
- VALUE FROM LINKED ASSETS: Income from integrated software
solution
