Why open source is more than a technical strategy

Bill Doerrfeld | November 28, 2025

Investing in open source can be a talent magnet

Contributing to the open source ecosystem is much more than altruism — it’s a smart strategy with real business benefits. 


For this month’s DirectorPlus with LeadDev, I got to sync with Manik Surtani, Block’s head of open source in the CTO office.


He shared how their open source initiative is helping to build brand reputation, attract talent, boost partnerships, guide internal open source best practices, and benefit long-term system reliability.


Great to pick apart a specific case study that resonates with many ideas on open source that I’ve been sharing lately about the frailties of the open source ecosystem, and how to sustain OSS going forward. 


Read the post for more, and if you’re an engineering leader, definitely consider signing up for DirectorPlus for a monthly story featuring an experienced director, VP, or CTO.

Read: Open source is a talent strategy

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