#Sustainability #USA #Salt Lake City #Open Source #HeroDevs

HeroDevs Launches $20 Million Sustainability Fund

HeroDevs, a prominent provider of security and compliance solutions for outdated open source software, has made a groundbreaking announcement that is set to transform the open source landscape. The company is launching the Open Source Sustainability Fund, a $20 million initiative designed to directly support creators, projects, and maintainers that adhere to best practices for managing end-of-life (EOL) software.

In today's rapidly evolving digital economy, the prevalence of end-of-life open source libraries poses a significant security risk. As organizations worldwide grapple with the potential vulnerabilities associated with deprecated software, HeroDevs aims to mitigate these concerns through this substantial investment. The new fund aims to solidify existing best practices within the open source community and provide financial support to ensure that critical technologies remain secure.

Addressing a Critical Crisis

When popular open source projects reach their end of life, organizations often face tough decisions. They can undertake expensive migrations to updated software or continue running outdated software that may contain significant security vulnerabilities. HeroDevs is proactively seeking to address these challenges with its Open Source Sustainability Fund.

This fund is intended to financially back maintainers who formulate and communicate EOL milestones responsibly. Moreover, it complements HeroDevs’ innovative Never-Ending Support (NES) solutions, which offer security updates for various popular open-source software versions after their official support periods have ended.

The Sustainability Fund promises to:

• - Facilitate the ongoing development and innovation of fundamental open source technologies.
• - Encourage the standardization of communication regarding EOL milestones within the open source community.
• - Offer organizations greater flexibility in navigating rapid release cycles while maintaining stringent cybersecurity standards.

Commitment to the Open Source Community

HeroDevs is deeply committed to the open source ecosystem, as reflected in its ongoing efforts over the years. The company has previously sponsored initiatives such as the GitHub Secure Open Source Fund and has already contributed over $4 million since 2021 to support project creators and maintainers.

CEO Aaron Frost emphasizes, "Open source is foundational to nearly every application and service we use today. It merits the same long-term investment and accountability as other critical infrastructures. HeroDevs’ Open Source Sustainability Fund expresses our gratitude to the community that nurtured us and is a practical step to support the developers passionately creating the software that sustains our digital world."

Statistics Highlighting the Need

The urgency for this fund is underscored by staggering statistics: due to the increasing adoption of AI, the average commercial codebase has seen the number of open-source components triple in the last four years. Alarmingly, 86% of codebases include software that has known vulnerabilities, and 48% of vulnerabilities identified on enterprise systems are attributed to end-of-life software. The Sustainability Fund serves as a crucial initiative to ensure open source software maintains its security throughout its lifecycle.

Support from the Community

The Open Source Sustainability Fund has received significant backing from influential figures and organizations within the open source community, who recognize the pressing need for best practices concerning EOL software.

Robin Bender Ginn, Executive Director at OpenJS Foundation, remarked, "HeroDevs is vital to the stability and security of our web applications. We are proud to partner with them as they make this significant investment in the open source community, providing creators with essential resources to further innovate the future of open source."

Similarly, Tim Doyle, CEO at Drupal Association, noted the importance of maintaining secure frameworks even as organizations transition to newer versions.

Application Process and Eligibility

Interested applicants for the Open Source Sustainability Fund will be eligible to receive donations ranging from $2,500 to $250,000. To qualify, applicants must demonstrate increased community adoption and traction, establish their adherence to EOL security best practices, and agree to the fund's requirements.

Applications will officially commence on July 22, 2025. Open source creators are encouraged to join the waitlist for future updates about the fund and its processes.

About HeroDevs

HeroDevs stands out as a trusted leader dedicated to providing continuous, secure support for deprecated open-source software. The company’s mission is to keep these vital technologies running efficiently and securely long after their official end-of-life. Catering to critical industries like finance and healthcare, HeroDevs serves over 900 companies, including nearly half of the Fortune 100.

With a commitment to empowering organizations to progress without disruption, HeroDevs champions the open source community by ensuring its longevity and security in the digital age.