Best Practice in Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Design
Join us for the second encounter in the series:
31 March 2010, 18.00 to 19.30
Open-Source business models: creating value from ‘free stuff’ Open-source business models: Creating value from ‘free stuff’
Panellists:
- Prof. Bart Clarysse – Chair in Entrepreneurship, Imperial College Business School
- Ryan Ozimek – President, Open Source Matters and Co-Founder, CEO, PICnet Inc.
- Prof. John Mullins – The David and Elaine Potter Foundation Term Chair in Entrepreneurship and Marketing, London Business School
- Robert Ackland – Technology Manager, Symbian Foundation
‘Open Source’ started as software written collaboratively by the research community to help the community, rejecting any form of commercialisation. However, since its inception in the 1980s the open source world has evolved dramatically. The free software company has formulated a range of GPL licenses, and a number of companies have also emerged downstream of the value chain that use open source technologies as a vehicle to enter the market. So, despite their initial goal, open source technology platforms have spawned a new commercial industry. This session will explore the prospects for creating sustainable value from ‘free stuff’.
Hear our panel’s views and offer your own. A reception of wine and canapés will follow the event.
About the panel:
Prof. Bart Clarysse – Chair in Entrepreneurship, Imperial College Business School
Prof. Bart Clarysse holds the Chair in Entrepreneurship and is Director of the Entrepreneurship Hub at Imperial College Business School. He is a founder of several high tech start-up businesses such as digital cinema, mobile internet and educational software. In 2007, he co-founded the mobile internet company Siruna, which leverages open source CMS systems on mobile devices. In 2008, the company raised €5.5m venture capital and is now a leading mobile technology provider with offices globally. His on-going research interests include business models for open source companies, value creation of high tech companies and trade sales of high tech start-ups.
Ryan Ozimek – Board Member, Open Source Matters and Co-Founder, CEO, PICnet Inc.
Ryan Ozimek sits on the board of directors of Open Source Matters, the non-profit organisation behind the Joomla! open-source content management platform, and chairs its capital committee. Ryan joined the Joomla! Events Team as mentor for the North American region, and supports the Joomla! Project at conferences. He also runs his own company, PICnet, a recognised and trusted provider of tailored open-source technology solutions to non-profit organisations including Washington think tanks, international charities, and the UN. In the past four years, he has guided PICnet through a natural evolution in open source business models, including custom development, support services, and currently software as a service (SaaS) models.
Prof. John Mullins – The David and Elaine Potter Foundation Term Chair in Entrepreneurship and Marketing, London Business School
Prof. John Mullins is Associate Professor of Management Practice and holds the David and Elaine Potter Foundation Term Chair in Entrepreneurship and Marketing at London Business School. John’s newest book, Getting to Plan B: Breaking Through to a Better Business Model, is co-authored with Randy Komisar, a partner at venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers in California. The book, which has won plaudits from the business press on three continents, sheds new light on the phrase “business model” and articulates a field-tested process for getting from an untested or underperforming business model to a business model that will really work.
Robert Ackland – Technology Manager, Symbian Foundation
Robert Ackland leads the application and user interface technology management group at The Symbian Foundation, and personally manages runtime technologies on the platform. During his ten year career in the mobile industry, he has gained experience of commercial projects using Symbian, Microsoft Windows Mobile, Android and proprietary mobile platforms. Previously he has worked for Motorola, Panasonic and a number of mobile start-ups. A self-confessed technophobe, his interest in technology stems from a desire to ease the pain of technology adoption and to create truly useful devices and services for end-users. His unique approach to technology innovation is grounded in simplicity and solid commercial foundations.
Location:
Lecture Theatre 220
Mechnical Engineering
Imperial College London
South Kensington Campus
Exhibition Road
London SW7 2AZ
Further information:
The series is organised by The Entrepreneurship Hub at Imperial College Business School and is supported by the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF).
Click here for further information and dates of other events in the Best Practice series.
Contact details:
E: entrepreneurship@imperial.ac.uk
T: +44 (0) 20 7594 1438
W: www.imperial.ac.uk/entrepreneurship
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