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The Open Source Hardware Association (OSHWA), which started in New York City in 2012, is now based in Boulder all because of love between to hardware gurus. OSHAW's Executive Director Alicia Gibb’s relocated to Colorado when a long-distance relationship with SparkFun Founder Nathan Seidle became a marriage. “SparkFun, at 11 years old, is longest-running open source hardware company, and is the largest, in terms of employees and revenue,” she noted.
OSHWA states: "Open source hardware is hardware whose design is made publicly available so that anyone can study, modify, distribute, make, and sell the design or hardware based on that design. The hardware’s source, the design from which it is made, is available in the preferred format for making modifications to it. Ideally, open source hardware uses readily-available components and materials, standard processes, open infrastructure, unrestricted content, and open-source design tools to maximize the ability of individuals to make and use hardware. Open source hardware gives people the freedom to control their technology while sharing knowledge and encouraging commerce through the open exchange of designs."
Gibb observes that the national open source hardware landscape started in electronics, and is growing in many new areas, including the mechanical, 3D printing, biology, fashion, and medical fields. “Lots of firms are starting up, which is great to see.”
When it comes to why Colorado is seeing growth in open source companies and communities, she points out two keys factors: “One thing is Jared Polis. He knows what open source hardware is, he invited us to a symposium and asked how Colorado can be helpful to our community. That really stands out. No other members of congress have been reaching out to open source hardware companies to say ‘Hey, you’re something special, let’s talk.' I can email him about this movement and get a response, or set up an event. He’s the only one in DC, in my experience, who is paying that sort of attention and taking the approach of engaging with us.”
Gibb also praises Polis’s understanding of policy making when it comes to new technology. “He’s very intelligent in his approach. He realizes that sometimes the best thing to do is sit back and wait for the dust to settle before making laws. With movement toward intellectual property reform, it is really important that he understands what laws can and cannot do and what is best for the people in that respect.”
Gibbs is particularly excited about an Open Hardware Symposium with Jared Polis Thursday, April 24th at 6:00 p.m. at The Studio Boulder.
She also explains that, coming from NYC, a really important piece is that there are manufacturing plants right in Colorado. “I could not find a manufacturer in New York. Here, things are locally. I had been ordering stuff from Colorado for ages. I would order printed circuit boards from Advanced Circuits, and I still do. The proximity is better for turnaround. It is important, when working on a complex project, to be able to talk to and visit with a manufacturer if there is a question or a problem. You sometimes need to look at what they’re looking at. That’s different when your supplier is overseas or across the country. You can’t just go there easily, and it takes time to ship things back and forth.”
