ADR-019: Business Model
| Status | Proposed |
| Date | 2026-01-27 |
| Authors | Christophe ABOULICAM |
| Tags | strategy, business, open-source |
Context
STOA Platform is released under Apache 2.0 license. This creates an important strategic question: how to build a sustainable business while maintaining genuine open-source principles.
Decision
We adopt a model inspired by successful open-source projects:
- Open Source Core — Apache 2.0 licensed, self-hostable, community-driven
- Enterprise Services — Commercial support, SLAs, and managed offerings
- Trademark Protection — Standard practice for open-source projects (similar to Linux, Kubernetes, Docker)
Trademark Protection
| Asset | Status |
|---|---|
| "STOA Platform" | Registered (INPI, Jan 2026) |
| "STOA" | Registered (INPI, Jan 2026) |
| Logo & Visual Identity | Protected |
Anyone can fork the code under Apache 2.0. Trademark usage requires authorization, as is standard for open-source projects.
Community & Ecosystem
| Asset | Status |
|---|---|
| Official Discord | Active |
| Documentation Site | Active |
| Contribution Program | Planned |
Consequences
Positive
- Clear value proposition beyond "free code"
- Sustainable business model
- Community can grow without threatening commercial viability
Negative
- Need to deliver on quality and velocity consistently
- Some enterprises may still fork (acceptable under Apache 2.0)
Compliance
- Apache 2.0 license: Fully compliant
- Trademark protection: Standard practice (similar to Linux, Kubernetes, etc.)
- No "open-core bait-and-switch": Core features stay open