- Kickstarting: Django REST Framework's development was successfully funded for a year or more by funds raised on Kickstarter[1]. This model doesn't scale that well.
- Sponsorship: DRF is also a good example of this. Corporate sponsors who use the product are asked to chip in as sponsors, in return they get some branding placement and community goodwill. It seems Serverless was at one point using this model (sponsored by Coca-Cola), it's unclear why they had to stop.
- Services/support model: as popularized by Red Hat, Canonical, etc. Give away the product for free, make money on support contracts.
- Kickstarting: Django REST Framework's development was successfully funded for a year or more by funds raised on Kickstarter[1]. This model doesn't scale that well.
- Sponsorship: DRF is also a good example of this. Corporate sponsors who use the product are asked to chip in as sponsors, in return they get some branding placement and community goodwill. It seems Serverless was at one point using this model (sponsored by Coca-Cola), it's unclear why they had to stop.
- Services/support model: as popularized by Red Hat, Canonical, etc. Give away the product for free, make money on support contracts.
[1]: http://www.django-rest-framework.org/topics/kickstarter-anno...