Stories From the Trenches - Effective Collaboration Between OSPOs and R&D Organizations

Explore real-world strategies for building effective partnerships between Open Source Program Offices (OSPOs) and Research & Development organizations in this 40-minute conference talk from the Linux Foundation. Learn from Ericsson's OSPO and R&D representatives as they share concrete case studies including facilitating upstream contributions to the Linux kernel, establishing the Valkey project, and eliminating downstream forks. Discover how to align open source initiatives with product-focused R&D efforts to achieve strategic business goals, bridge the gap between product team needs and company-wide strategy, and establish governance frameworks that foster community engagement while maximizing open source contribution benefits. Gain practical insights into overcoming common challenges when connecting high-level OSPO principles with day-to-day R&D operations in today's rapidly evolving technology landscape.