Protect the Technologies Driving Tomorrow — Join OIN

Open Source is the driving force of the 21st Century, powering technology we use every day. However, the stakes are higher than ever with Non-Practicing Entity (NPE) litigation cases rising 20% in 2024 & patent litigation cases costing between $2-$4 million each.

Since 2005, we’ve defended Open Source innovation, reduced risks & built a global community of 4,000+ members — from startups to Fortune 100 companies. By joining our network, you get access to a patent cross-license at scale in 5,100+ Linux & Open Source packages, in a community that generates over $10 trillion in revenue & collectively owns over 3 million patents & applications. The scope of the OIN cross-license grows over time to keep your patent protection updated as Open Source technologies advance with new functionality & into new areas.

Whether you’re an individual contributor or a multinational company, OIN offers a level playing field to protect the technologies we rely on & ensure Open Source thrives for everyone.

OIN Membership Includes

  • Patent risk clearing at scale — Join a community that collectively holds over 3 million patents & applications.

  • Become part of a global force with a network of 4,000+ members — from start-ups to Fortune 100 leaders.

  • Gain peace of mind with a patent cross-license covering 5,100+ core Linux & Open Source packages, which will expand in future updates.

  • Showcase your leadership in Open Source Software & patent non-aggression by publicly demonstrating your commitment.

  • OIN 2.0 membership is voluntary where there’s no automatic enrollment. Existing OIN members must sign up again to OIN 2.0.

  • Benefit from defensive strategies used to protect against patent threats to Open Source.

  • Greater value than the annual participation cost which is less than many other membership organizations.

  • Reduce your risks from patent threats, costly litigation & business disruptions.

  • Inclusive — Membership is open to all organizations, and particularly those that champion Open Source.

  • Free tier — Membership is free for individuals and organizations with less than $10 million in annual revenue.

  • Level playing field — members all sign the same OIN 2.0 License Agreement.

OIN 2.0 Vanguard Champions

Canonical | OIN 2.0 Community Member
Microsoft | OIN Community Member
OVHcloud | OIN Community Member 2.0
Philips | OIN Community Member
Yokogawa | OIN Community Member
Ant Group | OIN Community Member
Canon | OIN Community Member
Fujitsu | OIN Community Member
Google | OIN Community Member
Kyndryl | OIN Community Member
Nissan | OIN Community Member
Olympus | OIN Community Member
TD Bank | OIN 2.0 Community Member
Toyota | OIN Community Member

Don’t miss out on Table 13 expanded coverage.

Linux System Table 13 increases coverage for Cloud Computing, Kubernetes & Eclipse, as well as expands coverage for modern languages by adding many new libraries for Go, Python & Rust.

Because we believe in transparency, choice & shared commitment to the future of Open Source, we are not automatically converting existing members to OIN 2.0. All OIN members need to sign an OIN 2.0 License Agreement.

Don’t miss out on Table 13 expanded coverage.

Linux System Table 13 increases coverage for Cloud Computing, Kubernetes & Eclipse, as well as expands coverage for modern languages by adding many new libraries for Go, Python & Rust.

Because we believe in transparency, choice & shared commitment to the future of Open Source, we are not automatically converting existing members to OIN 2.0. All OIN members need to sign an OIN 2.0 License Agreement.