"Where every push returns to the source, and every source renews the world."
Upstream unites partners to build a sustainable open-source ecosystem, rooted in the spirit of open collaboration and focused on public goods.
Upstream is a learning-and-doing platform devoted to sustainable open-source ecosystems. Participants deepen their understanding of community governance, civic value, and ecosystem storytelling while co-creating real projects that activate public impact.
Upstream is rooted in open-source spirit and centered on public goods. Commercial momentum is never the destination—it is the sustaining force that preserves trust, vitality, and shared stewardship across the ecosystem. Upstream believes open source is more than a technical pathway—it is a collaborative civic culture that cultivates trust, shared value, and long-term sustainability so collective innovation can power a shared future.
A two-stage journey that equips teams to steward open ecosystems across governance, sustainability, and storytelling.
Build shared understanding of open-source principles, governance models, and public goods.
Equip community organizers and storytellers with the skills to sustain open ecosystems.
Bridge government, industry, and community resources to support long-term public goods.
Comprehensive online training in open-source ecosystems and business skills with remote mentorship
Upstream Ecosystem Development Grant (100K RMB) and mentorship services
Immersive partner collaboration and mentored co-creation camp
Participants move from online foundations to hands-on co-creation, building momentum that carries through launch, mentorship, and long-term implementation.
Four-week remote program featuring weekly live sessions, peer studios, and guided assignments that culminate in a sustainable ecosystem action plan.
Five-day residency in Beijing combining project pairing, governance design sprints, storytelling labs, and final showcases.
Top-performing teams receive funding and are paired with open-source project teams for a 6-month collaborative development program. Projects will be showcased at the next Upstream event.
Course: Trace open-source history and values, unpack major license compliance, architect contributor journeys and governance frameworks, and practice Git/GitHub collaboration with CI/CD pipelines to anchor technical workflows.
Goal: Grasp the underlying logic of open ecosystems and confidently run an end-to-end technical collaboration process for an open-source project.
Course: Blend product management mindset with multi-platform community strategies; learn AI coding tools (including Vibe Coding) for rapid site builds, and deploy AIGC workflows to ship full-funnel marketing assets.
Goal: Launch a project microsite quickly and orchestrate a complete marketing and community operation stack powered by AI.
Course: Reimagine public-service business models through SaaS case studies, AARRR metrics, and growth hacks; design conversion funnels and partner communication, while building AI-driven content matrices from copy to video for long-term traction.
Goal: Map a clear, sustainable commercialization pathway and produce high-quality multimedia storytelling with AI.
Course: Select a live open-source project, architect product, growth, and business strategies, and culminate in an online demo to project partners to earn residency spots.
Goal: Deliver a comprehensive solution covering product design, ecosystem growth, and business pathways tailored to a real project.
Kick off onsite, meet mentors, align on shared purpose, and match teams with open-source projects.
Co-create goals, map community rituals, and strengthen collaborative culture across partner organizations.
Design ecosystem strategies with mentor guidance on governance, engagement, and long-term sustainability.
Prototype communication assets, run AIGC storytelling sprints, and polish demos for public launch.
Present ecosystem roadmaps, gather cross-sector feedback, and celebrate outstanding collaborations.
An ecosystem of mentors ensures every team receives strategic, operational, and creative guidance from multiple vantage points.
Professors and researchers guiding theoretical framing and cultural grounding.
Maintainers and community builders sharing operational best practices.
OSPO leads and open-source strategists contributing enterprise experience.
Policy partners offering pilot spaces, regulatory insights, and local resources.
Impact funds and sustainable capital linking long-term financial and ecosystem support.
Outcomes & Support
Upstream Ecosystem Development Grant
Teams that complete the innovation camp and deliver their showcase become eligible for a RMB 100,000 grant dedicated to growing sustainable open collaboration.
一切创新，皆由溯本而生；一切变革，皆因回归而新。
Where every push returns to the source, and every source renews the world.
Tell us about your community, public service project, or civic innovation idea. We welcome teams eager to build sustainable open-source impact across sectors.
