The open-source model could potentially transform all manufacturing industries, from medical equipment and mobility to power generation.
Free and open source software gave rise to a billion-euro economy by freeing up digital information. It showed us that proprietary ownership often precludes innovation, and that things move a whole lot faster when you don’t have to wait for patent lawyers and incur high expenses before you can got to market.
We see open-source sharing and co-creation as the natural next step in a digital transformation that is already upending global production and providing access to new, specialized knowledge everywhere. Closed business models and closed innovation environments are of the past – the future of product creation is open and inclusive.
By getting access to design processes, product design files and otherwise “walled-garden” digital fabrication systems, citizens will be able to take an active role in the design and fabrication of the things they consume. Similarly, even with limited resources, SMEs will have the ability to customise products in order to meet individual consumers’ requirements.