Google Summer of Code

Business Profile

Core Value Proposition

Google Summer of Code provides a global online program to bring new contributors into open source software development, pairing GSoC contributors with open source organizations for 12+ week programming projects under mentor guidance.

Target Customer

{"New contributors to open source","Open source organizations seeking to mentor contributors","Mentors participating in the program"}

Key Differentiator

Mentor-guided, long-duration (12+ weeks) open source programming projects with stipends, connected to a large network of 1,000+ organizations across many countries, enabling real-world software development experience.

Implementation Timeline

Typical cycle includes organization registration (or eligibility), idea proposal and applications, proposal review, Community Bonding (3 weeks), Coding Period (12+ weeks), evaluations, final submissions, and results announced. The program has run since 2005 with ongoing yearly iterations.

Pain Points

1Difficulty finding open source projects and mentorship opportunities
2Need for guidance and structure while contributing to open source
3Lack of real-world software development experience for new contributors

Key Features

1Global online program connecting contributors with open source organizations
212+ week programming projects with guidance from a mentor
3Proposal submission process and access to organization-provided project ideas
4Community Bonding period (3 weeks) and Coding Period (12+ weeks)
5Regular evaluations and final code submissions
6Stipend provided to contributors

Target Customer Industries

Client Results

1Over 21,000+ new GSoC contributors mentored since 2005
2Over 1,000 open source organizations have mentored contributors
346 million+ lines of code produced for 1,000+ open source organizations
4Contributors from 123 countries; mentors from 138 countries
5Global exposure and real-world software development experience

Competitive Advantages

1Global reach and online delivery
2Mentor-guided learning with real-world code contributions
3Structured timeline from proposal to final evaluation
4Stipend as an incentive for contributors
5Large network of mentor organizations and experienced open source communities

Key Benefits

1Mentorship from established open source organizations

2Hands-on, real-world programming experience

3Global networking and exposure across multiple countries

4Structured program timeline from proposal to final evaluation

5Financial stipend for contributors

Additional Product Information

Product Description

A global online mentoring program that introduces new contributors to open source software development by pairing them with open source organizations for 12+ weeks of guided coding, with stipends for contributors.

Target Market

New open source contributors, open source organizations seeking to mentor, and mentors looking to guide contributors within the open source community.

Unique Value Proposition

A proven, long-duration, mentor-guided open source contribution program with a wide network of organizations across many countries, offering real-world coding experience and a stipend, operating since 2005.

Technical Requirements

Organization eligibility: must run an active open source or free software project; must release software under an OSI-approved license; must not be in a country embargoed by the United States. Contributor eligibility: must be at least 18 years old; must be a student or an open source beginner; must be eligible to work in their country of residence during the program; must be resident of a country not embargoed by the United States.

Pricing Model

A small stipend is provided to contributors as an incentive.

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