The Three Phases

The COSS GTM Framework maps the journey from project to powerhouse through three distinct phases: Ignite, Bridge, and Scale. This is not a theoretical exercise; it is the observable, data-backed path of today’s most successful commercial open source companies. Each phase prioritizes the specific goals and activities most critical to that stage of growth. Crucially, these phases are designed to align directly with standard startup funding rounds—from Seed to Series A and beyond—creating a shared language and a clear set of expectations for founders, investors, and the entire ecosystem.

Phase 1: IGNITE → Pre-Seed and Seed

• What it is: The project captures the imagination of a core community. The focus isn't on revenue but on creating gravity by solving a real problem in a compelling way.

• The Founder's Job: Build something people want. Their focus is on developer experience and fostering a vibrant community of early adopters. The key signals are organic community growth: stars, forks, and active users.

• The Investor's Objective: Market validation. An enthusiastic, growing community is the strongest evidence that the project has the potential to become an essential technology.

Phase 2: BRIDGE → Series A

• What it is: The path from the free, open source project to a paid commercial product is built. This is about identifying the natural point where users need more—be it a managed service, enterprise features, or expert support.

• The Founder's Job: Build a product people will pay for. They need to be obsessively focused on user empathy, discovering where the value proposition for a commercial offering becomes undeniable. The key signals are early conversions and design partnerships.

• The Investor's Objective: Monetization potential. A successful bridge proves the business model is viable. It shows the company can create a commercial product that complements, rather than alienates, its open source community.

Phase 3: SCALE → Series B and Beyond

• What it is: A repeatable sales and marketing engine is built to capture enterprise value. The motion shifts from being purely product-led to being sales-assisted, targeting the broader market that the community has cultivated.

• The Founder's Job: Build a company that can sell. They are now hiring sales leaders and instrumenting the business for predictable growth, using the community as both a competitive moat and a primary source of enterprise leads.

The Investor's Objective: Operational excellence. This phase demonstrates the company can execute at scale. The key signals are efficient growth in revenue (ARR), high net dollar retention, and a well-managed customer acquisition cost (CAC).