The Apache Incubator

Business Profile

Core Value Proposition

The Apache Incubator provides services to podlings (incoming projects) seeking to join the Apache Software Foundation (ASF), helping them adopt the Apache governance style and operations and guiding them to services and resources to become top-level ASF projects.

Target Customer

Open source software projects that want to join the ASF, their communities, and project teams seeking mentorship and governance guidance to graduate to top-level ASF projects.

Key Differentiator

Mentor-driven, formalized path to ASF graduation based on the Apache Way, with dedicated mentors connecting podlings to ASF teams (e.g., Incubator PMC, Infrastructure) and a structured process for governance, community-building, branding, IP clearance, and graduation.

Implementation Timeline

Project incubation typically takes about 1.5 years

Pain Points

1Need for governance and community-building guidance aligned with the Apache Way
2Navigating the process to join ASF as a podling and progress to a top-level project
3Managing intellectual property considerations and ensuring proper IP clearance for code donations

Key Features

1Mentor delegation: each podling gets mentors who liaise with ASF teams to support operations and growth
2Structured incubation: guidance on governance, community development, and Apache-style processes
3Board reporting and graduation pathway: monthly reporting to the ASF board and a recommendation workflow for graduation to a top-level project
4IP clearance and donations handling: process to ensure proper due diligence for external code contributions
5Educational resources: cookbook, incubation policy, and various guides to support podlings during incubation

Target Customer Industries

1Technology

Decision Makers

1Podling Mentor
2Incubator Project Management Committee (IPMC) Member
3Podling Project Management Committee (PPMC) Member
4Podling Committer
5Incubator Chair
6Mentors' Guide Contributor

Client Results

1Podlings graduate from incubation to top-level ASF projects (TLPs)
2Regular monthly-to-quarterly progress reporting to the ASF board
3A track record of assisting hundreds of podlings and mentors (e.g., 335 podlings assisted and 239 graduated as of April 2023; 300+ mentors; 25–50 podlings supported at any time)

Competitive Advantages

1Access to a structured, mentor-driven path leveraging the Apache Way
2Direct liaison with ASF teams (e.g., Infrastructure) to support operations
3Established processes for governance, community building, branding, publicity, and IP clearance
4Clear pathways to graduate to a top-level ASF project
5Formalized requirement for podlings to report progress and adhere to incubation constraints

Key Benefits

1Mentor-supported incubation and governance guidance

2Structured path to graduation to top-level ASF status

3IP clearance and code-donation oversight

4Branding, publicity, and release guidelines aligned with ASF policies

5Community-building and ongoing support through ASF teams

Additional Product Information

Product Description

An ASF program that provides services to incoming podlings to help them adopt Apache governance and operations, guiding them to resources and mentors to become top-level ASF projects.

Target Market

Incoming open-source projects seeking ASF membership and guidance to become recognized ASF projects

Unique Value Proposition

Gateway into the Apache Way with dedicated mentorship and a formalized, supported path to graduation as an ASF top-level project, including governance guidance, IP clearance, and branding support

Technical Requirements

Not specified in-depth; process documentation emphasizes guidelines (cookbook, incubation policy) and movement through established ASF processes rather than technical dependencies

Pricing Model

Not disclosed

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