springing license

A licensing model where a project starts under a restrictive or proprietary license but automatically converts to a more permissive open source license when certain conditions are met, typically after a defined time period (e.g., two years after release) or upon a triggering event (such as the company ceasing operations, being acquired, or discontinuing support).

This approach aims to balance commercial interests with long-term community access, ensuring that the software eventually becomes fully open even if the original entity no longer maintains it. Examples include licenses that "spring" from proprietary to Apache 2.0 or MIT after a specified duration.