Ben Franklin: The OG of Open-Source Innovation

Written By Sharon Means

We often admire the savvy business moves behind today's tech giants and their heavily defended patents. But what about the genius of Benjamin Franklin, renowned for giving away his inventions?

Franklin famously refused to patent breakthroughs like the⚡️lightning rod, bifocals👓, and the Franklin stove. His belief? Ideas were meant to better society, not just line his pockets 🤨.

Key Takeaways:

  • Progress over profit: Would our world be better today if Franklin had locked up his inventions? When shared, great ideas can spark chain reactions of even greater ones.

  • The ripple effect of knowledge: Imagine the impact if tech leaders adopted even a fraction of this "open-source" mindset.

  • Collaboration as a catalyst: What if we fostered a mindset of building upon each other's ideas instead of viewing knowledge as a competitive edge?

Let's Discuss

Do you agree with Franklin's philosophy? Can the drive for profit sometimes hinder progress?

#innovation #leadership #opensource #collaboration

Sharon Means
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