Why Is NumPy Only Now Getting Funded?
Original NumPy author here.  I have a lot to say on this topic, given that it has literally consumed my life over the past 20 years.  You can go here for some thoughts about some of this:  <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;technicaldiscovery.blogspot.com&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;technicaldiscovery.blogspot.com&#x2F;</a>  There are several articles there that relate but in particular <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;technicaldiscovery.blogspot.com&#x2F;2012&#x2F;10&#x2F;continuum-and-open-source.html" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;technicaldiscovery.blogspot.com&#x2F;2012&#x2F;10&#x2F;continuum-and...</a> and <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;technicaldiscovery.blogspot.com&#x2F;2017&#x2F;02&#x2F;numfocus-past-and-future.html" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;technicaldiscovery.blogspot.com&#x2F;2017&#x2F;02&#x2F;numfocus-past...</a><p>I knew what I was getting into when I wrote NumPy.  I knew there was not a clear way to support my family by releasing open source software, and I knew I was risking my academic career.<p>I did it because I believed in the wider benefit of ideas that can be infinitely shared once created and the need for software infrastructure to be open-source --- especially to empower the brightest minds to create.   I did it because others had done it before me and I loved using the tools they created.   I hoped I would inspire others to share what they could.<p>There have been a lot of people who have helped over the years.  From employers willing to allow a few hours here and there to go to the project, to community members willing to spend nights and weekends with you making things work, to investors (at Continuum) willing to help you build a business centered on Open Source.<p>There are many people who are helping to fix the problem.  In 2012, I had two ideas as to how to help.  Those who know me will not be surprised to learn that I pursued both of them.  One was the creation of NumFOCUS that is working as a non-profit to improve things.  The second was the creation of Continuum (<a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.continuum.io" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.continuum.io</a>) to be a company that would  work to find a way to pay people to work on Open Source full-time.<p>We have explored several business models and actually found three that work pretty well for us.  One we are growing with investors, a second we are continuing with, and another we are actually in the process of helping others get started with and ramping down on ourselves.<p>Along the way, I&#x27;ve learned that open source is best described in the business world as &quot;shared R&amp;D&quot;.   To really take advantage of that R&amp;D you need to particpate in it.<p>We call our group that does that our &quot;Community Innovation&quot; group.  We have about 35 people in that group now all building open-source software funded via several mechanisms.<p>We are looking for people to help us continue this journey of growing a company that resonantly contributes significantly to Open Source as part of its mission.  If you are interested, contact me --- I am easy to track down via email.