commercial open source (COSS)

A business strategy that involves an open source project and a company that monetizes it through added services or products. A commercial open source (COSS) company is a legally registered entity whose principal business activities involve the development, distribution, and/or support of software licensed under an OSI-approved open source license and that derives revenue through the provision of products or services related to such software, including but not limited to support, consulting, hosting, premium features, or dual licensing, while ensuring license compliance with all applicable open source license terms, imposing no restrictions beyond those expressly permitted by its governing open source license.