The Linux Foundation Member Summit 2025

Universities are important sources of talent and innovation for open source projects. Successful open source projects originating from academic researchers – including Ceph and Jupyter – highlight the benefits to be gained from university-based open source projects. However, much of the open source work occurring in academic settings are siloed, and potential innovations that could benefit industry and society at large are lost as funding cycles end and research stalls. This session aims to answer the question of how to create mutually beneficial relationships between academia and open source. It will include introductory discussion by experts to provide insights for improving collaborations between open source, industry and universities, and how organizations like the Linux Foundation can play a part. The discussion will ask participants to consider questions such as: how can universities improve training for the next generation of open source leaders; how can communities better on-board students and researchers looking to contribute to their projects; and how can industry partners and foundations/fiscal sponsors help the development of academic open source ecosystems?

The Cyber Resiliency Act was passed into EU law in 2024, and the clock is ticking. Manufacturers of products with digital elements must begin reporting in 2 years, with compliance enforceable in 3 years. This talk will share Dell’s initial compliance approach, which includes analyzation of requirements and intent into actionable items to drive product teams to compliance and roadmap development efforts. The presenters will share how Dell’s participation in OpenSSF accelerates our internal CRA compliance journey, as well as creates opportunities for Dell to collaborate with others in the industry to improve OSS security of the upstream OSS we all share.

Undertaking effective data governance in AI training has become a central issue among Open Source AI advocates due to the complex nature and diversification of shared data resources. To have effective governance requires navigating a matrix of rules and ethical principles to protect copyright, privacy and other data-related rights. Effective data governance must also consider the impact on fundamental rights, ensuring that equitable and inclusive standards are maintained within AI ecosystems and the oversight of such systems.

In this talk I will discuss the role of data governance and data sharing as they relate to Open Source AI development. Specific approaches and strategies will be shared that can be undertaken both by Open Source AI developers and by other stakeholders to increase the amount of data that is properly governed and available for use in Open Source AI development.

The U.S. is facing a critical talent shortage, with companies struggling to hire the best international professionals due to restrictive visa policies and the uncertainty of the H-1B lottery. Open Avenues Foundation has developed a groundbreaking solution that not only provides companies with an alternative pathway to hire top foreign talent but also invests in the future of the U.S. workforce.

Through its national Fellowship program model, Open Avenues partners with tech and scientific companies by obtaining a cap-exempt H-1B visa for the company’s key foreign national personnel who has no other option to work in the United States, without the requirement to win the H-1B lottery. Open Avenues then employes the highly skilled foreign professional for five-hours per week to train U.S. college students in the foreign national’s STEM profession. Once the foreign national has an approved part-time cap-exempt H-1B with Open Avenues, the law permits the tech or science company to immediately file its own concurrent cap-exempt H-1B for the same person, also without needing to win the H-1B lottery. This program provides international talent in the Fellowship to work for high-growth companies and contribute to the U.S. economy while concurrently preparing the next generation of American workers with the skills they need to compete globally.

Join Danielle Goldman and Jeff Goldman, Co-Founders of Open Avenues Foundation, as they share how this innovative approach is transforming both immigration and workforce development. Learn how business leaders can use this model to attract and retain global talent, strengthen their hiring pipeline, and stay competitive in today’s evolving economy.