Payara Podcast – Why Open Source is the Future of Business Innovation – A Conversation with Arun Gupta

Open source is no longer a developer-only concern — it’s at the heart of how modern businesses innovate, build trust, and compete. In this episode of the Payara Podcast, I’m joined by someone who has been shaping that transformation for more than two decades: Arun Gupta.

About Our Guest

Arun has spent over 25 years at the intersection of technology, community, and business — helping some of the world’s most recognized companies unlock the power of open source. His career includes leadership roles at Apple, Amazon, Intel, Red Hat, Couchbase, and Oracle, where he scaled developer ecosystems from the ground up, reaching millions globally.

Since October 2025, Arun has been serving as VP of Developer Experience at JetBrains, where he continues his mission to empower developers and nurture thriving open source communities. He has also served as Board Chair of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) — helping grow its membership from 170 to over 700 companies — and now leads the Open Source Security Foundation (OpenSSF), driving collaboration and best practices for secure, sustainable open source software.

Arun is also the author of Fostering Open Source Culture: Increase Innovation and Deliver Faster with Open Source, a book that dives deep into how organizations can embrace open source principles to accelerate innovation and build lasting impact.

I’ve had the privilege of seeing Arun’s journey unfold over the last 15 years in the Java community. We crossed paths several times — especially during the GlassFish days — and I’ve always admired his ability to connect technical excellence with genuine community leadership. It’s great to finally have a longer conversation about a topic we’re both deeply passionate about.

What We Discuss in This Episode

Our conversation explores how open source has evolved from a developer passion project into a key business strategy. We cover:

• Why open source is about far more than cost savings
• The balance between corporate altruism and enlightened self-interest
• Practical ways to foster a culture of contribution and community inside large organizations
• How to recognize and reward developer contributions effectively
• The impact of AI on open source collaboration and innovation
• The role of open source foundations in creating sustainable ecosystems
• And much more about the mindset shifts required to truly “open up” innovation

Learn More

If you’re a business leader, developer, or anyone interested in how collaboration can drive innovation, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.

Listen to the full episode: Why Open Source is the Future of Business Innovation – A Conversation with Arun Gupta

• on YouTube
• on Spotify