Explore the importance of open source sponsorship in driving business and software development forward in this insightful conference talk by Wolfgang Gehring from Mercedes-Benz Tech Innovation. Delve into the vulnerabilities exposed by the Heartbleed Bug and the Log4Shell incident, highlighting the critical need for supporting open source software maintainers. Learn about various methods to strengthen the open source ecosystem, including community engagement, high-quality contributions, and financial sponsorship. Discover how Mercedes-Benz implements its open source sponsorship program, overcoming corporate-level challenges, and gain valuable insights into the differences between purchasing and sponsorship. Examine the role of Linux Foundation crowdfunding and explore practical ways to recognize and support the creators of essential open source software.