Founding meeting DOSBA

On March 20, 2025, the official founding meeting of DOSBA took place at the SUE office in Geldermalsen. The event kicked off with a brief but powerful introduction by Eva van Sloten from Opensource Werken. She emphasized the importance of open source software and discussed several challenges and opportunities she sees in the adoption of open software and open standards within the public sector. Founding members Emiel Brok (SUSE), Ronny Lam (NLUUG/Foundation NLNet), Pieter Izeboud (IT Gilde), and Marcel Kornegoor (AT Computing) then presented DOSBA’s plans and goals. One key initiative is to create working groups on specific topics. This will increase the association’s agility and allow experts to join forces effectively. At this point, two concrete proposals for working groups were announced:

- Marketing/visibility of DOSBA and open source software
- Public procurement

The meeting also covered the terms of membership and associated costs. The more than 30 attendees had ample opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback. Attendees were immediately asked if they wanted to become members. The atmosphere was full of positive energy, and already 15 companies have expressed their interest in joining, giving the association a strong initial backing.

The closing presentation by Ronny Lam (in a personal capacity) focused on the current geopolitical landscape and the importance of sovereign European IT solutions as a response. The topic clearly resonated with the audience, and we are convinced that this presents great opportunities for DOSBA and its members.

Afterwards, it was time for an informal reception with plenty of drinks and a generous serving of traditional Dutch snacks. The conversations continued with great enthusiasm around DOSBA and related topics. It is clear that open source software is gaining momentum and is increasingly seen as the default technology choice.