How Open Source Start-Ups Can Get Funding (And Go Viral)

Need funding for your open source start-up? Venture capitalist, Salil Deshpande, says build something that leaks up through the floorboard, then support it

Salil Deshpande is a managing director for Bain Capital Ventures who specializes in open source start-ups. He recently left Bay Partners after seven years and investments in a number of open source companies such as SpringSource (Java application servers), MuleSoft (enterprise and cloud integration), Engine Yard (Ruby on Rails), G2One (Groovy and Grails), Sonatype (open source component management), Dynatrace (application performance management), and ZeroTurnaround (making Java faster), among others.

Deshpande talked with ITworld about the business model for open source companies, what he looks for in a start-up as an investor, and how open source software infiltrates the enterprise.